In Loving Memory
by The Emcee
Summary: John's engaged to Dwayne after having been with him for over two years. But Randy, his abusive exboyfriend, is jealous and doesn't like that John's with Dwayne. How far will he go and what will his jealousy do to the loving couple?
1. I

A/N: This story is dedicated to Cenaholic, who gave me the inspiration to write a Rock/Cena story. I hope you like it, sweetie! I don't own any of the wrestlers involved. This story will contain m/m and male pregnancy, so if you don't like any of that stuff, then don't read this. Thank you. Also, this story is based off of real life events. I hope you all like it. R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**I**

John gripped the steering wheel tight enough that his knuckles turned white. Glancing down at the radio's clock, he saw that it was ten thirteen in the morning. He had seventeen minutes to make it to his doctor's office. For the past few weeks, he had been feeling exhausted, beyond tired, and he even started throwing up a little. Dwayne insisted that he go to see their doctor. At first, John refused; he figured that it was just the usual stomach virus that came around in the community every year. But it lasted longer than the usual twenty four hours and, in the end, he gave into his fiancé's demands.

Which is why he was driving to the doctor's office, even though he was upset. It wasn't because of the appointment; he wasn't afraid of the doctors, especially the sweet Doctor Redding who was like an older sister to him. No, he was upset because of his meeting with Randy barely forty five minutes earlier.

John had first met Randy while they were still in high school, and they soon became best friends. However, as they got to know each other better, John discovered that his feelings for Randy transcended those of friendship. His feelings were so strong and strange and new and different that they scared him and he tried to ignore them. Apparently, Randy had other plans.

It was obvious that John was acting strange; he definitely wasn't his casual, relaxed self whenever his best friend was around. So that got Randy intrigued and, before John could even blink, the taller teen had him cornered, literally corner, in the boys' locker room after football practice and was asking him was the hell was going on. John sputtered and stammered and acted like a complete fool, but he wasn't so embarrassed that he failed to detect the knowing gaze in Randy's eyes or the smirk that spread across his face. Before he could call the other out on it though, Randy closed the gap between them with a kiss. Fierce, rough, and passionate; everything John thought it'd be and more.

The heat between them had been intense, exciting, and oh, so frighteningly new and different. But John didn't care. All he could care about was Randy and him and the fact that Randy had kissed him. Had they not been interrupted by Mike when he walked in, they probably would have continued. Mike, being his usual annoying self, decided to open his big mouth and point out how cute and sexy they were. That tore them apart and John shared a look with Randy before he smiled and said hello to his friend.

That was how it all started.

They had been sophomores back when they first began dating. John had been happy, happier than he had ever been before, but that changed senior year. Somewhere, most likely during the middle of their final year of high school, Randy had started changing. The pressures of graduating, going to college, working part time, being on the football team, and being openly gay were taking their toll on him and he was starting to crumble. Granted, John had the same pressures, but he was too laid back to get overly stressed about them. Until Randy started yelling at him for stupid stuff out of annoyance or anger. As long as it meant he could bitch, Randy would pick and choose anything John said or did and turn their conversations into World War III.

At first, John didn't know what to think or say when Randy got like that. Yes, he had known that Randy had a nasty temper as well as some psychological issues going on upstairs, but he had never acted that way towards John before. So John tried his best to shrug it off and to give Randy all of the support and love he needed to get him through whatever he was going through.

It didn't work. Not like John had hoped it would.

Instead, it got worse. Eventually, as graduation edged closer and closer to them, Randy started hitting John. How it actually started, John didn't care to remember. All he knew for sure was that, one day, Randy snapped and slapped John for saying…_something_ the other didn't agree with. It had hurt a lot, considering the assault sent John stumbling into the kitchen cabinets behind him, but Randy was immediately sorry. And, like a fool, John forgave him for it. Randy had told him, had promised him that it would never happen again.

Almost a week later, it happened again, and John was forced to go to school was a cut lip and a black and blue eye. Mike wanted to know what had happened; aside from Randy, Mike was John's best friend and they had been through a lot together. But John shrugged it off and told him that he had gotten it while he had been wrestling with Randy. From the look of uncertainty on Mike's face, John figured the story appeared pretty sketchy, but he didn't care. Especially not when Randy walked up to them and wrapped his arms around John in a loving embrace. And especially when Randy had promised him, again, that he'd never lay a hand on John in such a manner ever again.

The hitting continued. Pushing and shoving was son involved into the equation. Punches started getting thrown and, on occasionally, Randy would kick him. Even their love making turned into incredibly rough sex and then, eventually, to outright rape. John couldn't stand it when Randy touched him; even the simplest, smallest, loving gesture made John flinch and cringe. As much as John wanted to leave Randy, and he knew that he should have left Randy, he couldn't. He loved him too damn much to let him go. It was selfish, but John didn't want to lose the one person he loved and cared for the most in the entire world. Besides, even if he did report any of the abuse to the police, John was eighteen and Randy was a few months younger than him. Why get them both into trouble?

That's what his thinking had been prior to Phoebe.

Phoebe Leona Cena was the extremely unexpected, yet not unwelcome, surprise that John found out about three weeks after graduation. Honest to God, he had no idea that he could even get pregnant. Yes, there had been scientific studies and surveys done that showed that men, in rare circumstances and under the most dire and rare conditions, could, in fact, conceive children. The revelations cause great uproar and concern, but what could be done about it? In the early years of the nineteen hundreds, woman only had their periods a three or four times a year; they evolved to the point where they got their periods once a month. Why couldn't men evolve as well?

Conception was dangerous though. Extremely dangerous. While scientists and doctors were doing everything in their power to make conception and delivery as safe as possible, most carriers – which is the nickname dubbed to men who could conceive, as a lot of people thought the term 'mother' wouldn't rightfully apply – died before reaching nine months. Even if the carriers didn't die, most babies were miscarried or still born. Hope for a successful conception and delivery was very low for John, even more so considering his horrific relationship with Randy. John dreaded telling Randy. He told Mike first and, together, they told his parents. And _then_, he told Randy. Randy's reaction was a lot worse than John's parents' had been. At least his parents hadn't tried to kill him.

Randy tried to. He didn't want a child; he didn't want to be with a freak like John. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. With Mike by his side, giving him courage and strength, he broke up with Randy and left his house, determined to never see him again. Which would have worked out had Randy gone away to college and left John alone while he attended the local community college (what was the point of going away for school when he'd so many medical issues to deal with?). But Randy didn't leave for college. Instead, he got a full time job and started working, which meant that John saw him more often than he liked.

As John started getting into the groove of things at the local community college, he met Dwayne, an older man who had caught John's attention on the first day of classes. They soon became friends and John felt stirrings for him; Dwayne was very nice, funny, and good looking, so, naturally, he'd be attracted to him. However, before things could kick off with Dwayne, Randy visited him at his house and they talked for a few hours about, well, everything. Randy apologized for being an asshole and for everything he had said and done to John that caused him pain or hurt him in anyway. And he was thrilled to be a father; he was just scared at first at the notion, but after he was able to digest what John had told him, he had come to terms with it and was more than willing to give their relationship another try.

So that's what they did. And before John knew it, his nine months were up and Phoebe had arrived. She was the most beautiful thing John had ever laid eyes on. Although she had Randy's dark hair, her eyes were John's. It left him speechless and, at the time, he thought that life couldn't get better.

But not long after Phoebe had been born, Randy started acting like he used to and John found himself dreading his decision to take him back. Thankfully, he wasn't alone in this. Not only did he have his family and Mike, but he had Dwayne, who had expressed his feelings for John not long after he left Randy. He was hesitant to go into a relationship though, since he had just ended things for good with Randy, but Mike, with the help of Dave, Mike's boyfriend and a friend of Dwayne's, he decided to go for it.

And they had been together for a little over two years now. John was so happy to have found someone like Dwayne; someone who honest to God loved him and Phoebe and wanted them to be happy and protected and loved. Dwayne managed to do all of that and more. Unfortunately, Randy went after John for custody of Phoebe and it was decided that Randy would get her every other weekend.

Finally, he pulled into the parking lot of the doctor's office and turned the car off. Leaning back in his seat, John sighed and closed his eyes. He had just picked up Phoebe from Randy's and they had gotten into it…again. It seemed that, recently, they kept getting into arguments over nothing and it was wearing on John. Randy just wanted to bicker and fight and, as much as Ted, Randy's roommate, tried to get him to stop, he just kept ragging on John. Randy even threatened to kill him and had done so in front of Phoebe, which upset her which in turn upset John.

With Phoebe in his arms, John placed her in her car seat and left Randy and Ted's apartment and made his way to his parent's house. They were watching her while John went to the doctor's. Granted, they usually watched her when John had work, but they were even more ready to do so today because of the doctor's appointment. If John was sick, they didn't want to give him a lot of grief and John was thankful for that. He had taken off work to go to this appointment, but he'd pick Phoebe up when he was done and they'd go home. Thank God he had graduated from the community college or else he'd be busier than hell with work and assignments and there'd be no way he could take Phoebe after his appointment. But he was more than happy to get his baby girl. He missed her already.

Taking the keys out of the ignition, John opened his car door and locked the car before stepping out. A wave of nausea crept over him and he nearly lost his breakfast. Luck was on his side though, and he managed to keep it down. Feeling like crap, he closed his car door and made his way to the doctor's office, anxious to see what the hell was going on with him.


	2. II

A/N: Allow me to clear something up, as I'm sure that some of you are confused. When I told you all that this story is based off of real life events, I didn't mean the feuds between John and Randy or John and the Rock. This story was based off of a real life event that a friend of a friend went through. I just wanted to clear that up. I hope you all like this chapter. R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**II**

John got in his car, feeling shocked and flabbergasted. He had just gotten out of the doctor's office and things hadn't gone the way he thought they would. Not that he was unhappy or displeased, but he was too in shock to know how to react. Although somewhere inside him, he kind of knew what was going on with him, he just didn't want to admit it.

He was pregnant. For the second time in his life, he was pregnant.

The news hit him like a ton of bricks and he didn't know what to say or what to feel. Considering his less than ideal morning encounter with Randy, John was at a complete loss as to what to do now that he knew why he hadn't been feeling well. He had to let Dwayne know as soon as he got home from work; that, he decided, was an absolute must. But it was currently eleven fifty four, and Dwayne didn't get off of work until four. There were always his parents. They were watching Phoebe and he should be leaving the parking lot to go and get her.

When he arrived, he'd tell them. His mom would probably give him a hug or something while his dad would pat him on the back. Phoebe wouldn't know what was going on, but John would tell her the simplest and best way he could and, hopefully, he'd be excited to be a big sister. He didn't know what to expect other than that, but it was the only plan he had at the moment.

Locking his car, he started it up and drove out of the parking lot, his mind still attempting to process what Doctor Redding had told him. Pregnant; he was pregnant once again. That thought was beginning to sink in and John felt himself starting to get excited and happy. However, his excitement and joy was counteracted by his feelings of dread and uncertainty, the same feelings he had when he found out he was pregnant with Phoebe. Of course, he had been with Randy at the time and that more than the pregnancy itself was probably what caused such feelings to arise.

But what about now? What was causing those feelings now? He had no idea and he didn't understand it, but hopefully, if he talked to his parents and Dwayne about it, he'd be able to. The drive to his parents' house wasn't a long one, but considering his still shocked state, it felt like it took forever. However, when he pulled into the driveway, he felt a little lighter than he had when Doctor Redding explained to him what was going on inside his body. Getting out of the car, John walked up to the house and smiled when the front door opened and Phoebe ran out.

"Daddy! Daddy!" He smiled when he saw her running towards him, genuinely happy to see his little girl. Bending down, John picked her up and hugged her to him, his smile widening when he felt her small arms hug him back.

"Hey there, pumpkin! Did you have fun at Pappy and Grandma's?" Phoebe nodded and stared up at him with his eyes.

"Pappy took me out back and we played in da sand box." John smiled and he looked up at the porch where his mom and dad were standing, smiling down at them.

"You played in the sand box, pumpkin?" Phoebe beamed up at him proudly John carried her to the porch.

"Yep! We made a castle and had a boat." John laughed as he walked up the steps and leaned into his mom's hug. With his arms full of Phoebe, he wasn't able to hug her back, but he did kiss her cheek.

"I think you mean a moat, Phoebs." John put her down and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"What else have you been up to?"

"I colored!" John gasped and smiled at her. Phoebe grinned up at him and grabbed his hand, trying to pull him into the house.

"Come see! Come see!" John laughed and looked over his shoulder at his mom and dad.

"I need to talk to you guys." They entered the house and closed the door. John sat down in a recliner and watched as Phoebe climbed upstairs to her bedroom. John's parents made sure that she had her own room at their house, just in the case of an emergency or a sleepover.

"What's going on, Johnny?" His father asked him while he sat down next to his wife on the couch. John took a deep breath and released it before meeting their gazes.

"You know how I've been sick and tired recently"

"Yes. You told us that you had a doctor's appointment today. God bless Dwayne for finally knocking enough sense in you to get you to make one." John smiled at his mother's comment, although it was a strained smile.

"Yeah…he's a miracle worker. Well, I did have a doctor's appointment today and I went. Doctor Redding did some tests and-"

"Daddy! Lookit what I colored! Is pretty, right? Pretty!"

Phoebe dashed down the stairs and ran over to John. She thrust a Disney Princesses coloring book on his lap and John looked down at it. It was a picture of Belle, Cinderella and Snow White and they were colored in an array of blues, greens, reds, yellows, and all sorts of colors. While she had gone outside of the lines in some areas, it was still something that Phoebe had worked hard on and John liked it. With a soft smile, he pulled Phoebe into a hug and kissed her forehead.

"That looks beautiful, pumpkin. Now, why don't you go get your stuff and we'll go home, okay?" Her eyes lit up and she smiled at him before hugging him.

"'Kay, Daddy! Be right back!" And she ran back upstairs. John laughed softly and stared after her for a few seconds before turning back to his parents.

"She's a wonderful child, John. So smart and energetic, just like you were when you were young." His mom smiled at him and tilted her head to the side as was her custom when she knew that something was up. John nodded and sighed before he replied.

"Hopefully, she doesn't make my mistakes."

"She won't, dear. Now, tell us what's going on with you." John nodded and gripped his hands, trying to quell his raging nerves. It was as though he were eighteen, pregnant for the first time, and about to tell his parents. The only difference was that Mike wasn't with him, he was no longer with Randy, and he was engaged to Dwayne, whom he loved more than anyone else. More than he ever loved Randy, even. And that was saying something.

"Well…it turns out that…I'm…I'm pregnant."

The silence that followed was deafening. Although it only lasted for a brief second or two, it was thick and heavy and far too uncomfortable and nerve wracking for John's taste. As soon as the confession settled in, his mother jumped up and hugged him tight, kissing his head and rubbing his back. His father stood up and approached them. Standing beside his son, he stared down at John and smiled before patting his arm in congratulations.

"Oh John! I had a feeling that you were pregnant. What with you constantly being tired and sick, I knew it wasn't just a stomach virus. But I told myself not to jump to conclusions." His mother pulled back and smiled at him, obvious love and pride written on her face.

"Have you told Dwayne yet? Or are you going to wait until he gets home? And what about Phoebe? Will you talk to Dwayne before you tell Phoebe? It'd probably be a good idea if the both of you tell her together. You know, she sees Dwayne as her real father instead of Randy anyway…" John's father's last comment made John groan and he held his head in one hand.

"God. Let's not talk about Randy right now." His dad's face turned hard and cold.

"What did that bastard do now?" His mom reached out and gently placed a hand on his dad's forearm.

"Dear…don't say such words. Not when there's a little one in the house." His dad nodded and looked down.

"Sorry… I just get carried away when he does something to John." John's mom nodded in agreement and they returned to their seats on the couch.

"So, what's going on this time?" John sighed and started to explain.

"He's just being moody. Randy's been picking fights with me and we've been bickering over nothing. It's like he can't stand seeing me happy or something… And it's just started recently." His dad scoffed and his mom gave him a sympathetic look.

"Randy's always been a bit…unstable though, hasn't he? You said so yourself."

"Yeah, he has been. But it seems like it's been getting worse."

"Perhaps you should talk to Dwayne about it." John nodded and looked over at the stairs when he heard Phoebe coming down.

"I'll do that." She ran over to him with her back pack situated on her back and smiled.

"Ready, Daddy!" John smiled at her and stood up. Taking hold of Phoebe's hand, he turned towards his parents.

"Thanks for the help. I'll talk to Dwayne about it when he gets home from work tonight." His parents stood up and walked over to him.

"It's no trouble, dear. We love having our granddaughter over. And I'm glad to know that you're okay, all things considered." His mom hugged him and pulled away, giving him a wink before she bent down and gave Phoebe a tight hug.

"You behave for your daddy, Phoebs. He's had a long day so far. Don't run through the house and cause a raucous, you hear?"

"I hear, Grandma. Love you." John's mom smiled and hugged Phoebe once again.

"I love you too, sweetie."

"Take care, John. Try to relax and take things easy. Be sure to tell Dwayne about…well, what we talked about." John nodded and hugged his dad.

"I planned on doing just that. Don't worry. I'm sure everything will work out." His dad nodded and bent down to hug and kiss Phoebe.

"Be a good girl, Phoebe. We'll see you tomorrow, okay sweet pea?"

"'Kay, Pappy! Love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

"Come on, Phoebs. Let's go home."

John walked out of the house and towards his car. Unlocking it, he opened the back door and placed Phoebe in her car seat before strapping and securing her in. Once that was done, he closed the door and got inside the car. Turning it on, he waved good-bye at his parents, who had been watching him from the porch, before putting the car in reverse and heading onto the road. He knew that he'd have to tell Dwayne about their baby and about the shit that Randy had been doing. It wasn't going to be pretty due to the fact that Dwayne couldn't stand Randy, not sense John told him everything that he had gone through with the slightly younger man. But Dwayne wouldn't take things to the extreme; he never did when Phoebe was in the house.

All John hoped for was that Dwayne wouldn't call Randy up like he did the last time and threaten to beat him to a blood pulp. That had calmed Randy down, but not for every long, and before John knew it, the tattooed man was up to his usual crap. As nervous as John was about talking to Dwayne about Randy, he was even more nervous about telling his fiancé about their baby. Randy's reaction when he found out that John was pregnant with Phoebe was all John had to go by and it was definitely not a pretty sight. He just hoped and prayed that Dwayne would be okay with it. Dwayne was nothing like Randy, so John didn't have anything to worry about right?

He hoped so. Pulling into the driveway of their house, John turned the car off and got out. Taking Phoebe out of the car, he watched as his daughter ran up to the front door and stood, waiting patiently for him. John smiled and thought about how Dwayne was with Phoebe. The older man loved Phoebe, regardless of the fact that she wasn't his own child. And John's dad had been right; Phoebe looked to Dwayne as her father, her real father, even though she knew that Randy had planted the seed that gave her life.

Locking the car up, John made his way up the concrete steps towards the porch of the house. All he had to do now was wait for Dwayne to get home and then everything would be okay. Or so he hoped.


	3. III

A/N: I know that I told you guys in the last chapter that this story was based off of a true story, but I wanted to add something to that. As previously stated, this story is based off of a true story, but some portions of it, such as the mpreg aspect, are made up. I just wanted to clear that up. A big THANK YOU to all of those who are keeping up with this story and supporting it. You guys rock. R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**III**

John passed the rest of the day by by doing the dishes, cleaning and, when those things had been done, watching TV. He made lunch for himself and Phoebe, who spent the day playing in her bedroom or coloring in her coloring book while she sat with John on the couch and watched TV. Although he tried like hell to focus on the TV shows he was watching with Phoebe, he couldn't help but fret and worry over what Dwayne's reaction would be. It was highly unlikely that the older man would do what Randy did, but there was always that ever so slightly possibility that he wouldn't take the news well.

Phoebe could tell that something was bothering him; while she was still so young, she just knew when something was amiss. She kept showing him the pictures she colored and kept talking to him, and John couldn't help but smile at her and go along with everything she showed him and said. After a while, she got bored and went upstairs to her room, leaving John alone and allowing him to return to his ponderings.

Not too long before Dwayne was due home, John got up off of the couch and made his way to the kitchen. Opening the freezer, he looked at its contents, wondering what he could make for dinner. Tomorrow, he'd have to go to work and he'd have to let his boss know what was going on. He worked in an office, so it's not like he had any heavy lifting to do, but he would need to set up a maternity leave or something. John really didn't know how they did things in regard to pregnancies.

He heard a car pull into the driveway and his entire body tensed up. Dwayne had arrived at long last, and the reality of what was going on and of what he'd be telling his fiancé nearly overwhelmed him. Pulling out of thing of hamburger from the frig, John placed it on the counter and sat down in a chair at the kitchen table. All of a sudden, he felt incredibly heavy and worn out. John listened as Dwayne slammed his car door shut and, within a few seconds, he was walking through the door.

"John! Phoebe! I'm home!" John listened as Phoebe came running down the stairs.

"Daddy Dwayne! Daddy Dwayne!" From the kitchen, he could see the two of them. He saw Phoebe run up to the man that had loved and cared for John unlike any other man ever could. John watched as Dwayne picked up Phoebe, another man's daughter, and hugged her and kissed her as though she were her own.

"How was your day, Phoebs? Were you good for Daddy, Grandma and Pappy?"

"Yeah, I was! Daddy's sick."

"Sick?" Dwayne looked over into the kitchen and John managed a meager smile and waved at him. Nodding, Dwayne turned his attention back to Phoebe.

"Why don't you go play in your room while Daddy Dwayne sees what's going on with Daddy?" He placed Phoebe down and tickled her sides for a moment. Phoebe squealed in laughter and delight and ran up the stairs.

"'Kay!"

John watched as Dwayne stared after her before turning his dark gaze on him. He shifted as his fiancé marched into the kitchen and right up to him. Thick, muscular arms wrapped around him and pulled him up and into a hug. Sighing softly, John returned the embrace and nuzzled his face against Dwayne's neck. A small smile appeared on his face as he breathed in the other's familiar and comforting scent, which allowed his body to relax a little bit. Eventually, they pulled apart and sat down at the table, Dwayne's hands clasped around John's, making his own hands appear small and pale in contrast to his fiancé's.

"So…how did the doctor's appointment go, John-John?" Taking a deep breath, one that was shaky instead of calming, John looked into those dark eyes that held so much love and warmth for himself and Phoebe. He could do thing. He _had_ to do this.

"Well…I found out why I've been sick."

"What's wrong?" John looked down for a moment before releasing a breathy laugh.

"Apparently…I'm pregnant."

Just like that, all sound stopped. Just like that, time ceased to move. Just like that, the world had stopped turning and was now at a standstill. At least, that's what it felt like to John. He held his breath and dared a look at Dwayne. Dwayne sat there, stunned into silence for a brief moment before a huge smile broke out on his face. And just like that, the sound returned, time started to move once more, and the world started turning. Before John could return the smile, he was pulled onto Dwayne's lap and into a bear hug.

"That's great news, baby! You're pregnant! We're going to have a baby. Phoebe's going to be a big sister." Dwayne paused and pulled John away from him to look at him.

"Have you told Phoebe yet?" John shook his head and Dwayne gave him a comforting smile before pulling him closer, lavishing kisses on John's neck. The younger man shivered delightfully before answering.

"No, not yet... I wanted to wait for you to get home. I figured we could both tell her." John sighed softly as Dwayne gently bit down on his ear.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Suddenly, Dwayne tensed and John was snapped out of his good mood. A growl resonated from the older man and John couldn't help but start to worry all over again.

"Have you told…Randy?" Closing his eyes for a split second, John pulled away from the hug and stared at the older man.

"No, not yet." Dwayne growled again. It had been obvious since day one that Dwayne disliked Randy, and that was putting it mildly. But John couldn't blame him; even he disliked Randy and he had been in love with him.

"When do you plan on doing so?" John shrugged. He hadn't really thought too much about that; how could he when he had been fretting over Dwayne's reaction?

"I don't know. Maybe tomorrow after work?" Dwayne nodded and caressed John's cheek lovingly, a small smile on his lips. Although the older man looked calm, John could see the fire in his eyes.

"Don't go by yourself, okay? Take Mike with you. Just in case. I'd feel better knowing that you were with someone." John nodded and smiled when Dwayne kissed him on the lips.

"Good. Now, let's go and tell our daughter the wonderful news."

Phoebe took the news pretty well, considering her age. She was excited to know that she'd be a big sister and have a little sister or brother. Knowing that both Phoebe and Dwayne were happy about John's pregnancy made him feel so much better about, well, everything. Dinner went well and afterwards, John gave Phoebe her bath and tucked her into bed. Went she was sound asleep, he made his way down stairs and collapsed beside Dwayne on the couch. Chuckling softly, Dwayne put an arm around him and pulled him in close.

"Tired, baby?"

"You've no idea. Finding out about our baby was…"

"A big deal?" John smiled. He liked it when Dwayne finished his sentences. It made everything easier and it allowed them to understand each other better.

"Yeah. And Randy wasn't much of a help. Of course, that was before I went to Doctor Redding's so –"

"Wait, Randy did what now?" John could hear the anger bubbling beneath Dwayne's relaxed, clam façade. Trying to keep his fiancé cool and calm, John shrugged and yawned.

"You know how Randy is. He has mental issues. He picks fights just for the hell of it and that's what he did today when I picked up Phoebe."

"Well…where was Ted? Isn't he there to keep an eye on Randy?" John heard the frown in Dwayne's voice and he knew that, were it not for the fact that he'd get arrested, the older man would kill Randy if he had the chance.

"Ted's his roommate and he had his own life. He can only monitor Randy when he's around." Dwayne scoffed and kissed John on the top of his head.

"Well, you be sure to take Mike with you when you go to tell him about our baby. Lord only knows what goes on inside that head of his and I don't want anything to happen to you or our child."

Later that night, John was worshipped on warm sheets and loved in a way that Randy could and would never love him. Even though Dwayne was older than he was, he certainly didn't look or perform like it, and John was grateful to be with him and loved by him. Afterwards, when they were both spent and exhausted, John fell into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, after Dwayne had left for work, John got Phoebe up and, together, they ate breakfast and got themselves ready for the day. Once they were both ready, John put Phoebe into her car seat and they left their home. He dropped his daughter off at his parents, gave them a quick summary of what had happened when he told Dwayne the news, and was on his way to work.

Work went by as well as it could, considering it was an office job. Boredom was definitely not in short supply, but John was glad that he worked with Mike and that the guys in the office weren't jackasses or pricks. Of course, before he could even sit down in his cubical, John was practically cornered by Mike who wanted to know how his doctor's appointment went. Barely able to suppress his grin, John told him the good news and Mike, being the good yet embarrassing friend that he was, let out a manly 'whoop' and gave John a big hug. That got the attention of everyone in the office, especially the boss, Hunter, who was nearby getting coffee, and Mike told them all the good news. After that, everything was a whirlwind of 'congratulations' and 'I'm happy for you' and pats on the back and arm.

Hunter pulled John into his office after he barked at everyone else to get back to work. He inquired John about it and the younger man told him that, yes, he was indeed pregnant, and then asked Hunter what that would do to him at the office. The older man congratulated him and told him that he'd go through the same thing that a pregnant woman would. John figured as much and returned to work. Although the morning went by fast, the rest of the day after lunch dragged on, especially considering that John had to tell Randy about his pregnancy. Turning to Mike, who was in the cubical next to him, John told his best friend everything he had discussed with Dwayne and ended his speech by asking Mike to come with him to Randy's.

"Of course I'll come with you. I don't trust that asshole and, knowing him, he'd flip shit or something."

"Randy's unpredictable at the best of times, Mike."

"I know and that's why I'm going with you."

With that settled, John and Mike returned to their paper work and to talk about the baby, about Dwayne and Dave, and about life in general. Knowing that his best friend would be with him, John's nerves settled down a little bit. However, even though having Mike with him gave him peace of mind, John was practically shaking when he and Mike got in his car and started their trek to Randy's apartment.

Mike did his best to calm him down, but John couldn't stop fidgeting and thinking that something bad was going to happen. In no time at all, John and Mike had arrived at the apartment building. Sharing a look, John parked his car and the two of them got out. Taking numerous calming breaths, John, with Mike at his side, marched into the building and up the stairwell to the thirds floor. He knew that Randy was home because his car was parked out front. Ted, however, wasn't home; he was still at work, which meant that Randy would be alone, with no one to pull him back or keep him grounded long enough for John to say his piece and leave. John knocked on the door to the apartment and waited. A few seconds passed and his heart beat drummed loudly in his ears. Mike squeezed his hand, trying to get him to relax, but it didn't help. And then, Randy opened the door.


	4. IV

A/N: I don't really know what to put in this note, so all I will say is R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**IV**

"Hello, John. Mike," Randy growled at the other man and John could feel his friend puffing himself up, ready to throw one of his classical bitch fits if necessary.

"What are you doing here? It's not the weekend yet and Phoebe isn't with you…" John cleared his throat and shifted slightly before he answered. He was more than a little bit nervous standing in front of Randy. Especially considering that his ex was holding a gun in his right hand and a cleaning rag in his left. It was nice to know that Randy hadn't lost his love and passion for guns.

"I need to tell you something. May we come inside? We'll just before here for a few minutes and then we'll get out of your hair."

John heard Mike snicker behind him and he wanted to smack him. Now was not the time for Mike to laugh at Randy for his lack of hair. Randy's pale eyes narrowed, but he backed up and opened the door wider, allowing them enough room to come in. Once they were inside, Randy closed the door and went into the living room, sitting down on his recliner. John sat down on the couch and Mike sat down close beside him.

"So…what is it that you need to tell me? It isn't about your asshole fiancé, is it? I'm still pissed off about the last time he gave me a call…" John laughed nervously and felt Mike grab his hand to give him support. If Randy was still pissed off about Dwayne calling him months ago, then how would he respond to what John was about to tell him?

"Well, it's not about Dwayne per se…" John looked over at Mike and the shorter man gave him an encouraging smile. Nodding, John turned back to Randy, who had quirked a brow at them and was strumming the fingers of his left hand on the arm of his chair. He was impatient. That was never a good sign.

"Since I don't know how to really tell you this, I'll just come out and say it." Taking a deep breath, John tried to steady his shaking hands and forced them to grasp his knees.

"Randy, I'm pregnant with Dwayne's child." For a minute or two, there was no sound aside from the ticking clocking in the kitchen a few feet away and John's loud heart beat. Randy brought his hand up to his chin and was allowing John's words to sink in. But he appeared to be calm and collected and that gave John a sense of hope. Perhaps Randy was, finally, getting over the fact that they were over and were never going to be together again. Feeling relieved, John started speaking again.

"Dwayne and I decided that it'd be a good idea to let you know, seeing as how we have Phoebe…" _And to make sure that you don't try to do anything life threatening or anything_. That thought went unsaid, though it rang out loud and clear. Randy nodded to himself and his hand returned to the arm of the chair.

"How far along are you?"

"I think Doctor Redding said a little over two months." Randy nodded again and got up, making his way towards the door.

"Thanks for telling me, John. I'll see you this weekend with Phoebe, right?" John smiled, although it was a fake smile, one he only wore when dealing with Randy, and he and Mike made their way out of the apartment.

"Right. See you then." As soon as John and Mike had stepped out of the apartment and into the hallway, Randy slammed the door shut. Mike rolled his eyes and tugged on John's hand, pulling him to the stairs.

"That guy is such an ass. I have no clue why you ever went for him." John sighed, feeling both relieved and disturbed. There was no way in hell Randy was okay with this. Something was up and it was only a matter of time before he erupted like a devastating volcano.

"I don't really know myself…" Mike stopped and looked at him, concern apparent in his blue eyes.

"What's wrong?" John shrugged and proceeded down the steps, past Mike. All he wanted to do was drop Mike off at his house, go pick up Phoebe, and get home.

"You know the feeling you get when you sense that something's not right with Dave?" They exited the apartment building and started towards John's car.

"Yeah…" John unlocked his car and they both got inside.

"Well…I'm getting that kind of feeling right now." Once they had buckled up, John started the car up and drove away from the apartment building, and Randy.

"What do you think Randy is going to do?" John shook his head. When Randy was involved, it was hard to predict any sort of outcome.

"I have no idea. All I know is that it won't be good."

After that, the conversation went to other things and John was thankful for that. He still felt on edge, as though something wasn't quite right, but he had to focus on other things. Dropping Mike off at his and Dave's house, John went and picked up Phoebe before returning home and starting on dinner.

The rest of the week went by the same as usual, but the on-edge feeling still remained with John. It hadn't diminished one bit, not in the slightest, and by the time Friday had arrived, he was more than sick and tired of it. He'd rather have Randy do…whatever or say whatever he was going to do or say then to be tortured like this, but he knew Randy. Even with him mental instability, he knew what he was doing. There were times when he'd explode in John's face on the spot, while other times he'd plan it out and wait, like a rattlesnake poised to strike.

Friday afternoon arrived sooner than expected and John was placing Phoebe in her car seat while Dwayne waited patiently in the driver's seat. They were going to dinner and a movie after dropping Phoebe off at Randy's and John was looking forward to it. Having Dwayne with him, even if he wasn't going to come into the building, made John feel better about his weird feeling and he tried to calm himself as they neared Randy's apartment building. In what seemed like no time at all, they had arrived and John was getting Phoebe out of her car seat.

"I'll be back in a minute or two," John told his fiancé, who nodded and glared at the building.

"Good. Have a nice time with Daddy Randy, princess. Be good for him."

"'Kay, Daddy Dwayne. Bye-bye!" Dwayne smiled at her and waved back.

"Bye-Bye, Phoebs." John squeeze Phoebe's hand and they made their way into the building.

"Excited, sweet pea?" Phoebe nodded and smiled up at him. Randy may have been a bastard, but he did love Phoebe and he never said or did anything bad around her.

"Yep! Daddy Randy said that Ted was going to take me out for ice cream when we got here."

John frowned a bit at that. Ted was a good guy, even if he was friends with Randy, and he got along well with Phoebe, but he never took her out somewhere without Randy there with him. Climbing the stairs to Randy's apartment, John felt his stomach begin to sink and his mind kept screaming at him that something bad was about to happen. But, for Phoebe's sake, he ignored it and proceeded up the last few stairs and walked to Randy's apartment. Knocking on the door, John released a shaky breath and wiped some sweat from his forehead. So far, the summer had been a hot one, but July had had the hottest days out of the entire year and it wasn't improving his mood one bit. The door opened and Ted smiled at them and let them in.

"Hey there, munchky. You ready to go get some ice cream?" Phoebe smiled brightly and nodded.

"Yeah!"

"Then go put your bag in your room and we'll head on out." John and Ted watched as she ran back to her bed room.

"Where's Randy?"

"He's in his room. He'll be out in a minute. He said he wanted to talk to you about something important. That's why I'm taking Phoebe out, in case you were wondering." John nodded and felt his stomach twist into a knot. Before he could say anything, Randy stepped into the living room and nodded at him. Phoebe came running back in and bumped into Randy.

"Sorry, Daddy Randy! Ted's taking me for ice cream." Randy smiled down at her and pulled her into a brief hug.

"You have fun and don't cause any trouble, okay?"

"'Kay!" And with that, they left. John turned back to Randy and sighed. All he wanted to do was leave and go out with Dwayne. What the hell could Randy want to talk about now, of all times?

"What do you want to talk to me about, Randy?"

Randy walked over to him, not saying anything. Instead, his pale eyed gaze remained on the floor and John was about to ask him again when Randy grabbed him by the neck. Before John could even blink, he had been forced down onto his knees and he felt something press against the side of his head. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was one of Randy's guns pressing against the side of his head. Panic started building up inside of him and John hesitated to look up at his ex. Something inside of him forced him to look up though, and he was met with a furious and crazed looking Randal Keith Orton. From behind them, the door to the apartment flew open and Randy tore his eyes away from John's face. John couldn't see who it was, but he didn't have to. The intrude spoke soon enough.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Orton?" Dwayne had arrived. Relief flooded John's entire being and he felt tears prick his eyes. But his relief was short lived. Randy tugged John up and wrapped an arm around his neck, keeping his gun pressed to John's temple. Even if John tried to wrestle away from him, Randy still had the gun and the trigger could be pulled quicker than John could escape.

"If you come any fucking closer, Johnson, I will kill him." Dwayne's dark eyes narrowed at him, but he remained where he was and glared daggers at Randy.

"What did you just say?" Randy snarled and pressed the gun harder to John's temple.

"I'll blow his fuckin' brains out if you come any closer!"

John didn't know what to do. Was there anything he could do that would put his baby and himself in danger? What about Dwayne? Would Randy do anything to the older man if John pulled something? What if he did? John wouldn't be able to live with himself if Randy shot and killed Dwayne. The situation seemed hopeless to him and he knew that the best thing to do was to call the police. If Dwayne exited the apartment, he'd be able to do just that, but John knew that Dwayne wouldn't leave John alone in such a situation. With so many questions and 'what if's hanging in the air, it seemed as though there wasn't much John knew for sure.

All he did know was that there was a gun pressed to his temple and that if he or Dwayne made one false move, the trigger would be pulled.


	5. V

A/N: Same old Author's Note, just a different day. Before anyone asks, this story is based on a real life, true story unrelated to wrestling. I give thanks to all of you who are enjoying this story thus far; I hope that you continue to like it. R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**V**

John was shaking. Hard. Why was this happening? Why would Randy flip out and do this? He was pissed off, that was for sure, but what was there for him to be pissed off about? They hadn't been dating for a while now and Randy had known about John's engagement to Dwayne and about his pregnancy. Hell, John had told Randy about the baby so that nothing would happen to himself or the baby! And now, here they were. Standing in the apartment Randy shared with Ted with a gun being held to his head. Dwayne was standing before them and was trying to calm down so that he could think of something. But what?

Randy was, at the best of times, unreasonable. Even on his medication, he was still difficult and moody. Right now, at that moment, Randy was beyond unreasonable and moody; he was at his most dangerous and John would be lucky to make it out alive. Perhaps there was some hope, though. If he could talk to Randy and calmed him down, maybe the tattooed man would lower the gun or drop it completely. The chance of that actually happening was slim to none, but it was worth it. Right?

"R-Randy?" John's voice shook and showed his fear and panic, but he refused to back down. His unborn child was depending on him and he needed to pull through.

"Randy….W-why are you doing this?" Randy growled and pressed the gun harder to John's temple. It hurt, but there wasn't much that he could do about that. Dwayne sure as hell couldn't do anything since Randy threatened to pull the trigger if he moved. All John's fiancé could do was stand there and observe, wait for an opening if one presented itself, and pray to God that things turned out for the best.

"Shut the fuck up, you fucking whore." Dwayne growled and Randy smirked at him.

"Don't like it when I call him a whore, do you?"

"No, I don't." Randy snarled and inched away from Dwayne, dragging John along with him.

"Well tough fucking shit. He had no right to leave me…" Randy glared down at John, who was staring at Dwayne with wide, frightened eyes.

"You fucking slut! You had no God damned right to leave me! You're mine and no one else's. If I can't have you, then no one will." John didn't want to hear this; honest to God, he didn't. He was over Randy and had found someone that he loved with all of his heart and whom loved him back just as much. He was happy and wanted to continue being happy. Why was Randy doing this?

"You don't love him, Orton. You never did." Randy looked back at Dwayne and smirked, chuckling darkly.

"This isn't about love, Johnson. I may have loved John once, but now, all I want is for him to suffer. He's not allowed to be happy, not when I'm still alive and kicking." Dwayne's dark eyes narrowed and John knew that, had the situation not been so dire, he would have beaten the living shit out of Randy.

"You're a sick mother fucker, Orton. You need to be locked up." Randy laughed and looked down at John, who was on the verge of having a panic attack.

"Even if I'm sent to jail, they won't be able to keep me locked up."

Thunder footsteps were heard climbing the stairs with stealth and speed. Within a few seconds, police officers were on the floor and were crowding around Dwayne and behind him, guns out of their holsters and centered at half mast. If any one of them were fired, Randy would be shot and probably killed. Although John never wished death on anyone, he wanted that to happen so much right now. It would release him from so much pain and unhappiness, pain and unhappiness that Randy always managed to drag into his life by force. But other things plagued John's mind, such as why the police were here. There was no way Dwayne could have called them, so maybe one of the neighbors did? He only hoped so…

"Randy Orton, drop your weapon now!" Randy scowled at them and backed away. In response, the police pushed past Dwayne and, cautiously, stepped into the apartment.

"Fuck you! I'm not letting go of my gun." One of the officers, the one in charge perhaps, returned his weapon to its holster and held his hands up. John felt a sense of relief overcome him and, somehow, he knew that things would be okay. But that feeling didn't overpower the fear and panic he felt. Had Randy not been holding onto him, he probably would have passed out or something.

"Randy? We're not here to hurt you or anything like that. We just want to help clear up this misunderstanding." Randy scoffed but didn't say anything. The officer inched forward; now, he was only about five feet or so away.

"Please, son, release the man and lay your weapon on the ground gently." Randy's cool, pale eyes bore into the officer, but he didn't flinch or back down.

Nothing was said for a few moments. John's heart pounded loud and fierce in his own ears and his eyes, wide and terrified, scanned the officers that were in the apartment. There were about twelve to fifteen officers, some wearing SWAT gear, while others were dressed in their average, every day police uniforms. And then, his eyes fell upon Dwayne, his fiancé, the man he loved more than anyone else aside from Phoebe. The older man looked so helpless and scared, yet he tried to give John an encouraging smile and he nodded, as though confirming that everything would be okay. Oh, how he hoped that that were so.

Then, John felt Randy's body relax, if only just, and the gun pressing against his temple moved. It was no longer pressing hard against his temple; it was slowly, ever so slowly, he moved away from him. Was Randy giving up? God, John hoped so. The arm that was holding John relaxed and he felt himself falling away from his deranged ex boyfriend. Before he could get away though, he felt more than saw Randy kick him hard and remorseless in his stomach. Suddenly, there was a lot of sound.

Rushing footsteps. Clothing brushing against clothing and bodies. A loud yell. A gun falling to the floor. Laughter, taunting and haughty, menacing in and of its own right. The sound of hands, both bare and gloved, grabbing skin. Grunting and the sound of loud chatter. Hand cuffs cuffing wrists together. Footsteps forcing an offender out of the apartment.

But none of that really registered to John. All that made sense was the pain, excruciating and too real for his liking, that was stemming from his stomach where Randy had kicked him. And then, there was panic, concern, worry, fear, and sadness. Overwhelming sadness. What if something had happened to the baby? That was a stupid question; of course something had happened to his and Dwayne's baby. Randy wouldn't have kicked him if he didn't think some kind of damage would be done. And John knew from experience that Randy's kicks were no walks in the park.

Something dark flashed in front of his eyes and then John saw Dwayne's face. Anger, relief, fear and sadness shone brightly in the dark orbs and John reached out for him instinctively. He wanted his fiancé by his side so much. Just the mere thought of what was going on inside of his body right now frightened him to death and John needed support and love and his Dwayne. His knight in shining armor, even if that did sound incredibly unmanly and girly. But he didn't care. He _needed_ it.

"John? John?"

For some reason, John couldn't keep his eyes open. Everything was painful and there was too much going on for him to go to sleep, but his eyes refused to allow him to remain conscious.

"John! Stay with me baby…"

God, how he wished that this hadn't happened. John wished that he had a normal life, a life without Randy Orton.

"The ambulance is here!"

"Sir, I need you to step away from him."

So many regrets…so much pain. John couldn't take it anymore. His blue eyes closed and he was dead to the world within a matter of seconds.

He didn't know how long he had been out, but when he woke up, John found that he was in a hospital room with white walls and strange machines. An IV was sticking out of his left hand and he felt groggy and out of sorts. Blinking his heavy eye lids, he heard movement to the right and turned his head just in time to see Dwayne getting up out of a chair and cross the few feet separating them.

"Thank God you're awake. How are you feeling, baby?" John shrugged.

"Tired and weird." Dwayne nodded and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

"You had me so worried…"

"How long have I been out?"

"Only a few hours. The doctor came in about half an hour ago and said that you'd be coming too soon." John nodded and memories of what had happened flooded his mind. Suddenly worried and fearful, John looked up at his fiancé, his blue eyes relaying the emotions he felt.

"Dwayne…what happened to our baby? Is our baby okay?" Dwayne looked down briefly before his dark eyes found John's once again.

"I don't know, angel. The doctor said that he'd let us know when you woke up."

John felt his heart dropped and the conversation ceased. They waited together for a good ten minutes more before the doctor walked into the room. He was a tall, thin man with dark brown hair and glasses. He was at least as old as Dwayne, but he looked older. Seeing that John was awake, he gave them a small, sad smile and walked over to him.

"Hello, Mr. Cena. I'm Doctor McDonough. I'm your attending physician."

"How is our baby? Is…is our baby still…" The doctor shook his head and stared down at the younger man with regret-filled eyes.

"I'm sorry Mr. Cena, Mr. Johnson, but you've lost the baby. The force of the kick and the stress… It was too much. I'm deeply sorry for your loss."

John felt his world crumble. He had only just found out that he was pregnant and just like that, the baby, Dwayne's baby, had been taken away from him. Randy really was right: he was making him miserable and unhappy. As long as Randy was still alive his entire life's mission would be to make John's life a living hell. It was too much to handle too soon. Before his or her life had even begun, John and Dwayne's baby had died, an innocent life lost due to a cruel man with a black heart. And no amount of tears or cries of anguish would bring their baby back.


	6. VI

A/N: This story was never meant to be incredibly long. From what I can tell as of now, there's only going to be one, maybe two more chapters after this one. It there are to be more, I'll let you all know. Thanks for all of the support, guys! Hearing back from you guys lets me know that I'm staying on track and doing a good job, so thank you. R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**VI**

John wasn't discharged from the hospital until the following day. Dwayne had told him that his mom and dad wanted to see him as soon as humanly possible and that Mike and Dave would be at his parents' house as well. He knew that his fiancé was trying to cheer him up and make him feel better, but it didn't work very well. Although he was fine on the outside, he was a complete mess on the inside. It was hard to believe that he had lost the baby, Dwayne's baby. And while he wasn't incredibly surprised by what Randy had done, for some reason, his mind just hadn't processed it yet.

More than anyone else, John knew Randy. It pained him to think it, let alone say it, but he _knew_ Randy. He knew about his mental instability, about his mood swings and fluctuations, and about his violent tendencies. And above all else, John knew that if Randy found some way to cause him pain physically and emotionally he would inflict it upon him.

So why hadn't he anticipated Randy kicking him in the stomach? Why hadn't John tried to get away? Why hadn't he tried to protect his baby? Would his baby still be alive if he had crossed his arms over his stomach? Would his baby still be alive if he had, somehow, managed to get away from Randy? Did Randy really hate him that much? The answer to the last question was as plain as day to John: yes, Randy really did hate him. Enough, at least, for him to kill John and Dwayne's unborn child.

What puzzled John the most was that Dwayne didn't appear angry or upset at him. Having been with the older man for a while, John knew when Dwayne was angry, upset, or anything like that, and his fiancé was definitely upset. His eyes were darker than usual and troubled. There were so many emotions in those eyes and John didn't know how to decipher them. It scared him and worried him, but Dwayne didn't act as though he was upset or anything of that nature with John. On the contrary, he was supportive and understanding, just like he had been ever since he first met John. Even more so now what with John's miscarriage.

John couldn't stop thinking about it, even after he was in the car with Dwayne. The older man got behind the wheel and within minutes they were heading towards John's parents' house to tell them, Mike, and Dave what had happened. They knew the bare bones, but they wanted to know. And John knew that they deserved to know. After all, they were his family and they loved him and wanted to help him. Besides, John _wanted_ to tell them. No, he _needed_ to tell them.

Dwayne's voice filled the car as they drove and John found himself relaxing. Even though, on some weird and twisted level, he thought that Dwayne should at least blame him somewhat, it was apparent that his fiancé didn't hold anything against him. For the life of him, John couldn't understand why. Perhaps his mind was in overdrive and over thinking everything. It wouldn't be the first time and, considering the toll that the recent events have had on him, John could see himself doing just that. But he was tired of contemplating; he decided to take a shot and just ask the older man.

"Dwayne…you're not mad or upset with me because of…well, what happened…are you?" The talking stopped and Dwayne sighed before reaching out and grabbing John's left hand in one of his own. Giving it a tight, comforting squeeze, Dwayne pulled into his parents' driveway, turned the car off, and then faced him.

"There is no way in hell I could ever be angry, pissed off, upset, or accuse you of being responsible for what Orton did. As far as I'm concerned, Orton did it on purpose. Like he said, he can't stand to see you happy and he won't let you be happy. He knew what he was doing when he kicked you and I blame the loss of our baby on him. Not you, John. I could never be mad at you, baby. I love you." He kissed the back of John's hand and John felt himself smile weakly. The front door opened up and Mike stepped out of the house. Sighing, John leaned over and hugged his fiancé, feeling somewhat relieved by the words that were spoken to him.

"I love you too, Dwayne. I just…I want our baby back. I miss our baby…." Dwayne rubbed his back comfortingly before placing a soft kiss on his lips. He smiled sweetly and caressed John's cheek before they unbuckled and got out of the car.

"Don't worry darlin'. We can always try for another. But let's wait for a little while."

John nodded and, together, they walked up onto the porch. Immediately, Mike wrapped his arms around John in a fierce brotherly hug and he sniffed. Pulling back, John saw that his friend's eyes were red and puffy; it was obvious that he had been crying. Seeing his friend so upset on his behalf made John's heart ache, but there wasn't much he could do to quell the sadness.

"How are you doing, John-John?" John shrugged and gave Mike a very weak, very strained smile.

"Could be better. How's Mom and Dad holding up? How's Phoebe been? Is she okay? Did…did anyone tell her?" Mike shook his head.

"No one told her yet. We wanted to wait until you and Dwayne got here. Your mom and dad are…okay. Your dad is hell bent on murdering Randy, though. If I were you, I'd let him." John laughed and they entered the house. Sitting in the living room was John's mom and dad and Dave. Phoebe could be heard upstairs. John figured that she must be playing or something. He sat down on the couch beside his mom and Dwayne sat down beside him. His mother pulled him into a warm, loving hug and she sighed heavily.

"I am so sorry, sweetheart. Lord knows that you did no wrong. There's nothing you could have done to deserve such a loss." John nodded numbly and looked down. Dwayne held onto his right hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"It's been…it's been rough. I still haven't got my head wrapped around it." Phoebe came down the steps and she smiled brightly when she saw John and Dwayne. Her smile vanished, however, when she saw the sad expression on her daddy's face.

"Daddy? Why are you so sad?" John reached down and picked her up. Hugging her close to him, he kissed her head and smoothed down her hair.

"Daddy Dwayne and I have something sad to tell you, baby girl." She looked up at him with her wide, innocent eyes. John felt tears well up and he tried like hell to keep them from falling. However, he was unsuccessful and they began to fall. Phoebe reached up and wiped a tear away.

"Don't cry, Daddy…" John nodded and gave his daughter a weak smile.

"It's hard not to, baby." Although the tears fell, John's voice remained steady and strong. Taking a breath, he kissed his daughter on the forehead before beginning.

"Remember how Daddy Dwayne and I told you that you were going to have a baby brother or sister?" Phoebe nodded and John pulled her closer and his grasp tightened.

"Well sweetheart…Daddy had an accident the other day and…it turns out that you're not going to have a brother or a sister."

"What do you mean, Daddy?" Phoebe gave him a confused look and Dwayne stepped in. John was thankful that he did because he didn't know if he'd be able to continue talking or not.

"Your brother or sister is an angel, sweet pea. He or she couldn't stay with us anymore, but he or she is looking down on you and watching over you." Phoebe still looked confused, but not as much. Turning back to John, she placed a hand on his tummy and more tears fell. John knew that he was trembling, but Dwayne placed a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it comfortingly.

"There's no baby no more?" John nodded. Dwayne kissed John's temple and answered Phoebe's question.

"That's right, baby girl. That's right…"

John took Phoebe and marched her upstairs so that she wasn't in the room when they started talking about what had actually happened at Randy's apartment. When John returned, he was met with a hug from his dad and from Dave, who promised to help him file any kind of paper work he needed. If John wanted to press charges against Randy or wanted to get a restraining order or something on him, Dave could help him out with it. It helped knowing someone who knew the system. After that, Dwayne proceeded to tell John's mom, dad, Mike, and Dave what had happened. The tension in the room was thicker than pea soup and John began to feel a bit sorry for Randy. His ex wouldn't stand the chance if he met John's dad, Dave and Mike in a dark alley one night, that was for sure.

His mother gasped when Dwayne told them about Randy putting a gun to John's head and taking him hostage. Had the entire situation not been so grave, serious, and sad, John would have found her gasp comical. Now, it just seemed to fit the entire retelling of the tale. Mike's face went paper white and Dave had his arms around him, trying to comfort him although the larger man looked ready to kill. John's dad said nothing; he merely nodded and his eyes narrowed dangerously. It was only when Dwayne had finished speaking that he spoke up.

"Are you going to get a protection from abuse order out on him?" John sighed and leaned forward, his trembling hands clutching one another in an attempt to calm themselves.

"I haven't had much time to think it over, Dad…" His dad nodded understandingly and Dave spoke up.

"Given your custody arrangement, a PFA would be more desirable than a restraining order. Unfortunately, you can't keep the man from seeing his child, but you can get him in big trouble if he hurts you or tries to hurt you when you've out a PFA out on him."

"That sounds like a good idea… Thanks, Dave." Dave gave him a supportive smile and nodded.

"When would be a good time to get one filed?" Dwayne asked Dave.

"If you have the time, today before the courthouse closes. Even if it's just a temporary one until you can get a more permanent one filed, it's better than nothing." John looked at him with a questioning gaze.

"Isn't Randy in jail?"

"Well…he was…" Dwayne sat up straight and his dark eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Was?" Dave nodded and sighed, leaning forward before he started explaining further.

"His bail was set at one hundred thousand and his parents posted it for it. In full, might I add." John's jaw dropped in shock and disbelief. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Both of Randy's parents knew how Randy was and how he treated John, even before they broke up for good. So why in the world would they post his bail for him and let him out?

"What? Are you fucking kidding me?" Dwayne's voice boomed and it seemed like the whole house shook.

"Dwayne, please keep your voice down and try not to swear," John's mom gently chastised him and Dwayne muttered a soft apology. Dave sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face.

"I'm not kidding you, Dwayne. He's out."

"When did this happen?"

"Earlier today." Mike looked at his lover, a bit confused himself.

"How long has Randy been in jail?"

"Well…the incident happened the day before yesterday, so it's been a couple of days." Dwayne snorted and leaned back.

"Not enough, if you ask me."

"I agree. But…aside from the PFA, what else can you do?" Dwayne's eyes fell upon John, whose blue eyes looked haunted and strangely hollow.

"What do you want to do, baby?" John looked at his fiancé and sighed. What he wanted to do was crawl under a rock and die, but that wasn't possible. Running away from a problem never solved anything. He knew what he had to do and he was going to do it, even if it turned into one big disaster.

"I want to file for that protect from abuse order. As soon as possible. I'd rather get it over and done with, especially now that he's out." Dwayne nodded in understanding and got up.

"Let's not waste any more time then."

John followed Dwayne out to the car and got in. This was all just so damn crazy, but there wasn't much he could do about it. All he could do was hope and pray.


	7. VII

A/N: Hello all. Did you have a nice Christmas? I certainly hope so. Odds are that there will be a few more chapters than mentioned in the last note as there's still a lot yet to be told. But this story probably won't go past ten chapters. Here's the next chapter. R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**VII**

John sighed as he entered his home, Phoebe running ahead of him and going upstairs. Today had been a long, long day. Work had been a flurry of repeated questions and gawking and pats on the shoulder. Mike had been kind enough to announce to everyone that John was, in fact, alive and as well as could be expected and to, please, get the fuck off of his back. Hearing those words erupt from his best friend made him smile and John felt his spirits lift if only just. Work went by slow and John's mind kept going over the events that transpired at Randy's apartment and over the fact that he was no longer pregnant.

After work, John went to the courthouse to file for that protection from abuse order. Since yesterday was Sunday, the courthouse was closed, so that was one wasted trip Dwayne and himself took. But, at least they knew now when it was open and when it wasn't. So, after work, John drove to the courthouse, intending to file for the order. However, when he got there, he was informed by the PFA Coordinator that no orders could be filed after two in the afternoon, and it was definitely after two.

Feeling defeated and way too vulnerable for his liking, John thanked the man and left. The drive to his parents' house seemed to take ages; it was as though the events of Friday night were replaying inside of his mind. Reliving it through his own mind was torture and John couldn't help but think that Randy had achieved his goal. Not only had he murdered his and Dwayne's baby, but his actions were haunting John and it was effecting him. He had a nightmare about it last night and he woke up screaming. Dwayne shot up and had no idea what the hell was going on, not until he looked over at John. His screaming even woke Phoebe up and she's normally a heavy sleeper. John felt bad waking them up like that, but what could he do to stop it?

That was the last thing he thought as he pulled into his parents' driveway. Phoebe ran out of the house and hugged him as soon as he had gotten out of the car. Although she wasn't sure what had happened, she knew that something was amiss. John appreciated that Phoebe hadn't fussed or anything of the sort. When John and Dwayne took her home yesterday, she was so quiet and well behaved that John had to check on her numerous times to make sure that she was in her room or outside playing or in the living room.

After he told his parents what the coordinator said, he left with Phoebe in tow and made his way home. Having Phoebe with him took his mind off of things and John was surprised that they had arrived home sooner than he thought they would have. But the fact that Randy was out of jail and the fact that John had yet to file for that protect from abuse order made his stomach drop and he collapsed onto the sofa when he entered the house. Since the TV was off, John could hear Phoebe's footsteps upstairs in her room and he smiled a tight smile.

Although his mind was still racing over the events of the weekend, he felt a little better. He was at home with his daughter now and Dwayne would be home soon. John would tell Dwayne about today and they'd schedule an appointment to fill out the paperwork for the order.

Getting up off of the sofa, John made his into the kitchen and thought about what he could make for dinner. Deciding on spaghetti and bread sticks, he grabbed the large pot from underneath the sink and rinsed it out before filling it with water and placing it on the stove. Turning the burner on, John rummaged through one of the cupboards for the noodles and pulled them out when he saw them. He took out a large container of spaghetti sauce and placed it on the counter before he returned to the living room and turned the TV on. Waiting for the water to boil, John flipped through channels before stopping when an episode of Cold Case showed up.

It seemed to take forever for the water to boil, and by the time John was breaking the noodles in half, Dwayne was walking through the door. When he heard his fiancé enter their home, John smiled, a genuine, soft smile, and he poked his head around the corner.

"Hey, sweet heart. How was work?" Dwayne looked up at him and smiled before walking towards him.

"It went well. A couple of the guys send their apologies for…well, you know." John nodded and stopped smiling. Dwayne pulled him into a warm, loving hug and kissed his neck.

"How was work?" John shrugged.

"The same as it was for you, only a lot grander. Mike had to tell everyone to get off of my back so that I could get some work done." Dwayne chuckled and John felt himself relaxing. He always felt better whenever he was with Dwayne.

"They just care about you. Let me go say hi to Phoebs and then we'll talk about the other stuff."

"Okay."

Dwayne left the kitchen and headed upstairs. John stirred the noodles before leaving them to cook. Starting up the coffee pot, he grabbed two mugs from the cupboard and scooped out some creamer for Dwayne's mug while he put regular milk in his own. As he stood waiting for the coffee to fill the pot, John heard Dwayne come back downstairs and return to the kitchen. He sat down and, once John had poured them their coffee, he sat down beside him.

"Thanks, baby." John nodded and took a sip, his hands shaking slightly. He hoped that talking to Dwayne about the order wouldn't make him cry. After the weekend they had had, he was done with cry. Normalcy; that's what he wanted right now. Normalcy and safety for himself and, more importantly, for his fiancé and daughter.

"So, I take it from your less than excited and enthusiastic demeanor that things didn't go as planned today when you went to the courthouse." John sighed and nodded, keeping his blue eyes focused on his coffee mug.

"Since I had arrived after two in the afternoon, I couldn't file for one, not even a temporary one." Dwayne growled softly and John looked up at him, worried for a moment. He could relate to his fiancé's frustration and agitation. John felt it himself, along with a conglomeration of other emotions that hadn't allowed him a moment's rest since Friday.

"That's fucking bullshit. I can't see why they wouldn't let you even file for a temporary one."

"The coordinator told me that it takes about two to three hours to file for one, go before a judge, and schedule a hearing for a permanent one. It makes sense, but still…" Dwayne pulled John closer and embraced him in his muscular arms.

"Well, we'll get I done sooner rather than later. Do you think Hunter will let you leave early tomorrow so that you can go and file for one?"

"If I explain to him what I'm going to do, I'm sure he'll be okay with it. Will you be able to come with me? I'd feel a lot better if you were there." Dwayne kissed John's neck softly.

"I'll be there. Vince will understand, and even if he had a problem with it, he can kiss my ass. Making sure that our family is safe is my number one priority." John smiled and kissed Dwayne before standing up and walking over to the spaghetti. Seeing that the noodles were ready, he turned the burner down and removed the pot from the stove. Getting the strainer out, John poured the noodles into it and waited until the water had drained out before putting the noodles back in the pot.

"What all do we need for this order?" John looked over at Dwayne for a second before returning to the spaghetti. He poured the spaghetti sauce into the pot before taking the bread sticks out and placing them on a cookie sheet.

"Um…the coordinator told me that we'd need names of the parties involved, birth dates, social security numbers, addresses of places Randy frequents and where he lives right now, any other kind of documentation, pictures… It's a lot of stuff." John placed the bread sticks in the oven and be started stirring the spaghetti, mixing the sauce in with the noodles. Dwayne got up and refilled his coffee mug as he watched John stir the spaghetti.

"I'll call Dave and see what exactly we need aside from that." John nodded and he stopped stirring to get the plates out of the cupboard and place them on the table.

"Sounds like a good idea to me, Dwayne. Could you get Phoebe for me, please? Dinner is almost ready."

Dinner went by fast and afterwards, Dwayne, John and Phoebe sat down on the couch and watched TV. John dreaded going to bed, but he had to get at least some sleep. After putting Phoebe to bed, he watched TV with Dwayne before they got ready for bed themselves.

By the time it was ready for John to drop Phoebe off at his parents' house and go to work, he was tired. He woke up after getting only three hours sleep thanks to another nightmare and he couldn't get back to sleep. Not that he tried all that hard, but even if he had, he knew that he wouldn't have been able to fall asleep. Dwayne was worried when he woke up; he was always the first one up and to see John wide awake and looking exhausted concerned him. But John told him that he'd be able to sleep at night once they got the order filed, so Dwayne let him off with a tight hug and a kiss.

As he was dropping Phoebe off at his parents', John told them about what he was planning to do. His mom gave him an encouraging smile and a hug and his dad gave him a hug and told him that he was going to get through this. He left feeling a bit more sure of himself and hopeful. Hopefully, he'd be able to file for the temporary order today and have that at least before a more permanent one could come into place. With all of the paperwork in hand, John made his way into work. Spotting Mike, he made his way over to his friend, who greeted him with a smile and a patted on the shoulder.

"How are you doing, John?"

"Fine. You?"

"Pretty good. What're those papers for?" John explained to him what was going on and Mike nodded in understanding.

"Oh, okay. Gotcha. Hey, Hunter is here if you wanted to go and talk to him now before we have to get started." John gave him a grateful smile.

"Thanks. I think I'll go just that."

He left Mike and went to Hunter's office. Knocking on the door, John waited until Hunter told him to come in before entering. The man was sitting at his desk and he looked up when John came into the room. A small smile spread across his face and he stood up.

"Nice to see you, John. How are things going for you?" John shrugged and sighed.

"Okay. I, um, I need to ask you something…"

"What do you need, John?" John quickly explained to Hunter that he wanted to go and file for a protection from abuse order. Hunter listened to him as the shorter man explained what he had been told the day before by the coordinator and he nodded thoughtfully when John had finished.

"Normally, I wouldn't let an employee leave work early, but this isn't a normal situation. As long as you get what you need to do done, you can go. Just…be sure that you keep away from Orton, okay?" John gave Hunter a smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes, but it was still a smile. It was nice to know that Hunter was also a friend instead of just his boss.

"Thanks, Hunter. I appreciate it. Don't worry; Dwayne's coming with me. We'll get this taken care of."

"Good."

John could hardly stop fidgeting as he waited for work to go by. Mike kept talking to him in an effort to make time go by faster and, thankfully, it did. Taking a deep breath, John gathered up the papers that he'd need to file the order and gathered up his belongings. Standing up, he looked down at Mike, who squeezed his hand encouragingly, and he smiled, although it was more like a grimace than an actual smile. Saying a soft good-bye, John left work, got in his car, and drove to the courthouse. When he arrived, he saw that Dwayne's car was already there. Parking his car beside Dwayne's, John released the breath that he didn't realize he had been holding and got out of the car. Dwayne walked around to the driver's side door and waited for John to get out. As soon as he was out, John was pulled into a hug. Hugging his fiancé back, he sighed and allowed himself to be held by the older man, relishing in the feeling of large hands rubbing his back, before he pulled away.

"Ready to get this done and over with?" John looked into those familiar dark eyes that held so much love for him and felt himself relax.

"As ready as I'll ever be. I just hope the judge will grant me one." Dwayne kissed him softly before taking his hand and leading them towards the front doors of the court house.

"The judge would be an idiot to side with Orton. Besides, you have more than enough evidence to prove your case. Let's get this temporary order, baby. I'll take you out to lunch when we're done with this and then we'll get Phoebe, okay?"

"Okay."

Together, they made their way into the courthouse and rode in the elevator until they reached their designated door. As soon as they stepped out of the elevator and walked into the PFA Coordinator's office, they knew that the process would be strenuous and boring, but it had to be done. But it had to be done. It just had to be.


	8. VIII

A/N: It's getting intense, isn't it? It's soon going to end, too. What will happen to John and Dwayne? What'll happen to Randy? Who knows? R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**VIII**

John sighed in relief as he listened to what the coordinator was explaining to himself and Dwayne. For the past hour or so, they had been filling out paper work and talking to the coordinator, asking questions and explaining the situation in its entirety. The coordinator was understanding and he helped them out a lot. He looked to be in his late forties, maybe even early fifties, but he seemed as active and alive as ever, especially when he told John and Dwayne some of the things he's seen. They had just finished the paper work and the coordinator was telling them what would happen.

"The judge typically has ten days to go over your file and make a determination. If the judge feels like there's a definite threat here, he'll issue the temporary order and then schedule a hearing between yourself, Mr. Cena, and Mr. Orton. He'll listen to both sides of the case before issuing a permanent order, okay?" John was about to speak when Dwayne beat him to the punch.

"What do you mean when you said that if the judge feels there's a threat? It's obvious that there's a threat here! Orton kicked John hard enough to cause a miscarriage. Isn't that enough?" The coordinator sighed and nodded.

"I understand where you're coming from, Mr. Johnson. Believe me; I'd feel that same way. But the law is the law and it's the judge who makes the determinations, not me." Dwayne growled and John placed a comforting hand on top of his. Smiling at his frustrated fiancé, John squeezed his hand and the older man nodded.

"Odds are that the judge will side you with, Mr. Cena. When children are involved in such cases, the PFA's are almost always granted. Don't worry." John looked at him and smiled.

"Thank you for your help."

"No problem. You'll receive a call or a letter in the mail stating the time of the hearing after the judge has reviewed your file. Mr. Orton will receive the same and, if he doesn't show up, then you'll definitely get your order." John smiled at him and took the papers from the coordinator.

"Thanks again. Have a good one."

"You two do the same. I hope everything goes well for you."

John grabbed Dwayne's hand in his and they left the courthouse. Relief flooded his entire being and he felt lighter than he had been feeling since he told Randy about his pregnancy. Knowing that the judge was going to review it before deciding made him hesitate, but he had a good feeling. With hope and luck, John would get his protection from abuse order and then Randy wouldn't be able to touch him without getting into serious trouble. The coordinator told John that because he had a child with Randy, Randy could be in the same room as John and that they could talk and see each other. A PFA wasn't a restraining order, so there wouldn't be a problem with custody or anything like that, which John was incredibly thankful for.

"I can't believe there's a chance that the judge will turn down our order." Dwayne growled as he made his way to his car. John laughed softly and kissed his fiancé's cheek before going over to his car.

"Yeah, but you heard what the guy said. There's a large percentage that the judge will side with us, so I'm not too worried about it." John unlocked his car and placed his papers on the passenger's seat before walk over to the older man. Wrapping his arms around his neck, John pulled him closer. Dwayne smiled and placed his hands on John's waist.

"You're feeling better now." John nodded and kissed the man he loved so much. It was a simple kiss, but it held so much more than simple emotions.

"Oh yeah. Knowing that it won't be too long before this is all over makes me feel so much better. Well enough, in fact, that I could…go for some alone time with you." Dwayne grinned and kissed John.

"What about our lunch date?"

"We can go out to lunch afterwards and then get Phoebe. Or, we could get Phoebe before we go to lunch and have a family luncheon." Dwayne's grin widened and he placed a brief, hard kiss on John's lips before breaking away.

"I like the sound of that. You get the best ideas sometimes, baby." John smiled and walked over to the driver's side of his car.

"Good. So, I'll see you at home?"

"It's a date." With that, Dwayne got into his car and pulled out of the parking lot.

Feeling lighter than ever, John slid into his seat and closed his door. Turning his car on, he left the courthouse parking lot and followed Dwayne home. Knowing that his case would be looked over by a judge and that he would, soon, get his temporary order made him feel safe. Truly safe. It felt amazing and John shook his head. He probably looked like a damn fool, grinning like a maniac, but he couldn't help himself. He was all aflutter and was so relieved that Randy would get his ass in trouble if he even laid a hand on him… Hopefully, this would change things. That was what made John so hopeful and excited: change. A change that would allow him to be able to not have to worry himself sick whenever he even thought about his ex.

John arrived home a minute or so after Dwayne and he parked his car alongside his fiancé's. Grabbing the papers, he got out of the car, locked it, and grinned as Dwayne got out of his own car. The older man wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed the side of his head.

"Ready to go and have some fun?" John grinned up at the older man with a mischievous spark lighting up his blue eyes.

"Oh, hell yeah."

Dwayne unlocked their house and they quickly entered. John set his papers down and barely had time to look up before he was pushed against the wall. Lips attacked his own in a hot, passionate kiss and John couldn't help but moan into it, allowing his lips to part, letting Dwayne's tongue plunge into his mouth. Grabbing onto the wide, muscular shoulders, John parted his legs and sighed when his lover's body pressed against his own.

With everything that had been going on, John hadn't spent enough time with the man that he loved more than anything else. Well, aside from his daughter. They didn't even make it to the bedroom, although, to be frank, John didn't think they would. As Dwayne made love to him right against the wall by the landing to the stairs, John couldn't help but thoroughly enjoy himself. Being with the older man, being shown that he was loved and worth something more than an occasional cheap fuck, made John feel incredibly, especially given the circumstances of today. Having Dwayne make love to him made him feel worshipped and worthwhile, something that he had never felt when he was with Randy.

They ended up lying on the floor, both panting and sweating. John kissed Dwayne's forehead and pulled him close, enjoying the warmth that the older man gave off. Dwayne kissed his neck before nuzzling it, releasing a breathy laugh.

"What's so funny, Mr. Tough Guy?" Dwayne laughed more and he kissed John softly before responding.

"Us. Look at us and what we just did. We're like teenagers." John gaped at him in mock offense, but his eyes were bright with mischievousness.

"Hey, I'm not that old. I could still pull off looking and acting like a teenager." John grinned at Dwayne, who chuckled and kissed him once again before pulling out and standing up. He helped John up and the younger man watched as he stretched and yawned.

"That is true. I must look like an old man whenever we go out together." John hugged his fiancé and shook his head.

"Nonsense, Dwayne. You look amazing. You always have and you always will." Dwayne smiled at him and crushed him in a bear hug, but John didn't mind. He loved Dwayne's bear hugs.

"Let's go take a shower and get Phoebe so we can go out for some lunch."

They quickly showered and dressed before getting into Dwayne's car and heading towards John's parents' house. Pulling into the driveway, John saw that his parents were outside with Phoebe; his dad was playing tag with her while his mom watched from her chair on the porch. When Phoebe saw their car pulling into the driveway, she screamed with delight and ran towards them. John got out of the car as soon as it was parked and crouched down, enveloping his daughter in a hug when she ran up to him.

"Daddy!"

"Hey, sweet pea! Are you having fun with Pappy?" Phoebe nodded enthusiastically and John smiled at her.

"That's good. Ready to go with me and Daddy Dwayne? We're going out for lunch, baby."

"Really, Daddy?" John's smile widened and he kissed his daughter's cheek.

"Really, really, Phoebs."

"John." Looking away from his daughter, he saw that his mom had walked down to them, her arms poised to hug her son. With one arm, John hugged her back and then hugged his dad before letting go.

"How did everything go today?"

"Pretty good. We're supposed to be notified in ten days on the judge's decision. After that, there's supposed to be a hearing and, if Randy doesn't show up, we automatically get a permanent order." His mom smiled at him and kissed his cheek, her happiness for him very much apparent.

"Yeah, I can't wait. Once we get it, I'll be able to sleep at night." Her smile disappeared and concern flooded her eyes.

"You're having nightmares?" John shrugged.

"They're not too bad. Just annoying and sometimes hard to handle. Anyway, we've got to go. We're going out to lunch to kind of celebrate." His mom smiled, although there were still hints of doubt clouding her eyes. John hugged his dad and mom again before placing Phoebe in her car seat and getting into the car himself.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, Johnny. Have a great time. Love you."

"Love you too!"

As they drove away, John listened to Phoebe as she talked about her day and he wondered, very briefly, if he was being overconfident. He couldn't deny that there was some doubt clouding his heart, but he was so close, too close, to acknowledge it now. Especially now that Dwayne was feeling just as light and as free as John was. It'd be unfair of him to bring it up now, so he just pushed it aside and enjoyed himself. At the most, ten days would pass before John would be informed on the judge's decision. He just hoped that it'd be in his favor.


	9. IX

A/N: I apologize for taking forever and a day to update this story. I kind of got carried away with my Kane/Cena obsession. Hopefully, I'll start to put more of a focus on my neglected stories and stop the madness before it starts. XD Here's the next chapter. R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**IX**

About four days later, John received a letter in the mail from the courthouse. He had just gotten home from work and from picking Phoebe up from his parents' house. After retrieving the mail from its mailbox, he unlocked the door to the house and watched as Phoebe ran inside and made her way towards the kitchen for a juice box. Laughing at how spirited his daughter was, John closed the door behind him and set his keys down before he started looking through the mail. When he saw the letter from the courthouse, he sat down on the couch, his nerves starting to twist and turn within him.

This was it. The moment of truth he and his family had been waiting for. With one letter, his future will either become dismal and gray or bright and happy. It was all down to this one letter.

John's hands shook a bit as he opened the letter, being careful so as not to get a paper cut. Once it was opened, he took out the letter and was about to read it when Phoebe came into the living room, juice box in hand, and sat down beside him.

"Wha's that, Daddy?" He looked down at her and smiled nervously before kissing her head.

"It's the letter from the courthouse that Daddy Dwayne and I have been waiting for, Phoebs."

"Oh. Read it, Daddy! Read it! I want you to read it!" Had he not been so nervous, John would have laughed at Phoebe's eagerness, but he couldn't muster such a feat. Too much depended on what the judge had determined and he hoped with all of his body, heart, and soul that the determination had been in his favor.

Deciding that he wanted, and needed, to get this over and done with, John pulled the letter out and unfolded it. His blue eyes skimmed the contents of the letter, drinking in everything that was contained within it. Then he read the letter once again, allowing the news to sink in more thoroughly before he looked up at the ceiling and smiled a wide, relieved smile. The judge had granted him a temporary protection from abuse order! Tears welled up and began to fall, and John felt more than saw Phoebe sitting on her knees to wipe them away.

"Daddy? Why you crying? Is somethin' wrong?" John shook his head and looked down at her, his smile still in place.

"Nothing's wrong, baby girl. The judge is with me on this one." Phoebe looked at him with wide eyes that didn't quite understand what he was telling her.

"Oh. Wha's dat mean?" John pulled his daughter onto his lap and held her close, crying softly into her hair and rocking her back and forth.

"It means we're safe, baby. We're safe."

Relief flooded his entire being and John had a hard time collecting himself. He was sure that Phoebe was still confused, what with as young as she was, but he just couldn't find the right words to reassure her that everything was okay. As he rocked her, he read the letter a third time, his eyes skimming down to the date of the hearing, which would be ten days from today. Randy would have to be there, but John was hopefully that everything would go smoothly and without any incidents.

With such good news in hand, John gently placed Phoebe back onto the couch, turned on some cartoons for her to watch, and made his way into the kitchen. Dwayne would be home soon and, once he'd heard the news, he'd want to celebrate. Placing the letter on the kitchen counter, John stared out of the window that was placed above the skin and gazed into the backyard. Soon, this whole ordeal would be done and over with. He would no longer have to put up with Randy and his issues and his violence. Not only that, but he wouldn't have to worry about anything happened to Dwayne or, God forbid, Phoebe should his ex ever get that unstable.

Turning away from the sink and the window, John walked over the frig and took out the carton of orange juice. Pouring himself a glass, he sat down at the table and drank the juice. He was unbelievably relieved and happy after reading that letter. And thankful, incredibly thankful for being granted the temporary order and being given a hearing, even if it was only ten days away. John would have to tell Hunter that he'd need that day off. Hunter would understand, of that John was certain. The front door opened and closed and John's smile widened.

"Why, hello there, little girl! Did you have a good day today?" Dwayne's voice was loud and cheerful and John couldn't help but smile even more. He knew that he probably looked like a grinning fool, but he couldn't help himself. His heart swelled with joy and love and he was dying to tell his fiancé the good news.

"Daddy Dwayne! You're home."

"Yes I am, pumpkin. Were you good for Grandma and Pappy?"

"Yep. Grandma read to me and let me color at the kitchen table and…"

Closing his eyes, John could visualize the entire scene in his head. Dwayne entering their home, a smile on his face as soon as he caught sight of Phoebe. Phoebe's eyes alight with love and excited as her daddy, the man who was everything her real father couldn't be and then some, crouched down, arms open and waiting for her. She would jump into his arms and they would hug as they talked. His fiancé would listen attentively as he always did when Phoebe told him about her day. It was a custom that never got old, no matter how many times the two of them repeated the process. All that mattered was that they loved and cared for each other, and John could see plain as day that Dwayne and his daughter loved one another.

"Where's Daddy John, sweet pea?"

"In da kitchen."

"Okay. You watch your cartoons while I go and see what he's up to."

"'Kay!"

John heard Dwayne's footsteps coming closer and, within a matter of seconds, he was in the kitchen. Looking up at his fiancé, John gave him a small smile, trying his best to hide his excitement, relief, and joy. He wanted Dwayne to think that everything was fine before showing him the letter. However, being as intuitive as he was, Dwayne wasn't fooled by John's façade.

"Hey, baby. Is something wrong? You're unnaturally quiet and withdrawn." Chewing on his bottom lip to keep himself of grinning, John stood up and handed Dwayne the letter. His fiancé looked at him with a concerned, questioning gaze.

"You…you need to read this. It's from the judge."

Dwayne's eyes widened and he unfolded the letter, reading it quickly. His eyes widened and he began to smile. Looking up at John, who nodded and started to smile brightly himself, Dwayne laughed and reread the letter. Once he was done, he placed the letter on the table and pulled John into a hug, his hands rubbing his back lovingly.

"Oh thank the Lord, Johnny." John hugged him tightly back and nodded.

"I know…I know." Dwayne released a laugh and kissed John's neck.

"You had me worried there for a second. I thought something bad had happened." John laughed and pulled back a bit. He kissed Dwayne softly and grinned when Dwayne pulled him closer, turning the soft kiss into a passionate one. After a few seconds, John pulled away, panting softly and with red lips, but his smile was bright and happy.

"Did you see the date of the hearing?"

"Yeah. Ten days from today? I'll be there. We'll get a permanent one and then, if Orton lays one finger on you, he'll be fucked." John laughed and kissed Dwayne on the cheek before he pulled out of the embrace.

"I wonder how Randy's taking the news. I bet he's not too happy right now." Dwayne shrugged and grinned at him.

"How cares? DiBiase will have to put up with his moody ass, not us. Speaking of us… Are you up for going out to eat tonight?" John laughed, his dimples showing and he rested his head against Dwayne's arm.

"You know, I had a feeling that you were going to suggest something along those lines." Dwayne laughed and he kissed John softly.

"You know me all too well, John."

"I like to think that I do. Could you get Phoebe ready? I'm going to call my parents and tell them the good news."

"No problem. We'll be ready and waiting by the time you're done, baby." With one last kiss, Dwayne left the kitchen.

"Come one, Phoebs! We're going out to eat tonight and we've got to get you ready."

"We are going out to eat?"

"Yep. Let's get you ready so that you look like a million bucks."

John was grinning like a fool again, but he really didn't care. Taking his cell phone out of his pocket, he called his parents' house phone and waited. On the third ring, his mother picked the phone up and started to speak.

"Hello, Johnny. Did you and Phoebe make it home okay?"

"Yeah, we made it home just fine, Mom. I called because I wanted to tell you something really quick."

"Go on, sweetie. No need to be shy."

"I received a letter in the mail today from the courthouse. A letter about my temporary protection from abuse order."

"Oh my goodness! What did the judge decided? Is everything okay? Please tell me that the judge didn't dismiss your case."

"Everything's fine, Mom. Actually, things are more than fine; things are great. The judge decided in my favor and the hearing for the permanent order will be held in ten days."

"Starting today?"

"Yep. It could take up to a month to get the permanent order all ready and stuff like that; you know how the court system is. But since there aren't many PFA's being filed – mine's only one of…I think two or three, actually – it may not take an entire month. But it's hard to say."

"Well, thank goodness the judge wasn't some pompous prick."

"Mom!" John laughed at what his mom had said. It was rare for her to insult someone of any standing, especially a judge, but this was his mother and she could be feisty when she wanted to be. Not that he minded that one bit; it just showed how much she worried and cared for him.

"Oh, did I say that out loud, Johnny?"

"Yes, Mom, you did."

"Oh well. Anyway, I'm just so happy that everything is going well and that you'll soon be completely protected from Randy. Have you heard anything from him lately?"

"Nope, and I hope it remains that way. The less I have to hear and see him, the better. Dwayne, Phoebe, and I are going out to celebrate the good news. Things are finally looking up, Mom."

"I'm so happy for you, John. And I'm so proud of you as well. You've grown so much and are so brave and strong. You have a beautiful child, a man who would move the world for you, and you're on your way to a wonderful life. Have you thought about getting full custody of Phoebe? Considering Randy's issues, a judge would probably grant you full custody." John sighed softly.

"No, I hadn't thought about that. I've been too busy trying to get this order on track and, before all of this, I felt bad about taking Phoebe away from Randy. He _is_ technically her father, although she doesn't really like spending time with him. I'll talk to Dwayne about the custody thing and, after the hearing, I'll see if I can do that."

"Good. I worry about the three of you. You know that." John smiled softly and nodded to himself. Footsteps coming down the stairs told him that Dwayne had gotten Phoebe all ready for their dinner out.

"I know you do, Mom. Listen, I have to go. Phoebe and Dwayne are waiting on me." His mother chuckled and John's smile widened.

"Okay, dear. Take care of yourself and Dwayne and Phoebe. I love you."

"Love you too, Mom. Talk to you later. Bye."

"Bye."

John ended the call and made his way into the living room. Phoebe was wearing a cute little dress and her hair had been brushed and tied with a little bow. Dwayne, as always, looked handsome and amazing, even though he was still in his work clothes. They both looked wonderful and John couldn't help but feel incredibly happy and peaceful.

"Ready to go, Daddy?" John smiled brightly at Phoebe and he picked her up and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'm ready, Phoebs. Let's go and have a great time, okay?"

"'Kay!"

John was so glad that the judge had determined in his favor. The only thing he had to worry about was the hearing, and since he already had the temporary order, he knew that he'd get the permanent one. All that he needed was for a pissed off and unstable Randy Orton to show up and John knew that he would. But he pushed all thoughts of Randy out of his head as he placed Phoebe in her car seat, buckled her up, and then slid into the passenger's seat. Tonight was going to be about the man he loved and his daughter and the bright future ahead of them.


	10. X

A/N: There will probably one more chapter after this. Maybe, MAYBE, two more chapters. I can't be too sure, but this story is about to come to an end. It's sad because I really enjoyed writing this story, but all good things must come to an end. Thank you all for your support and encouragement; it's all so greatly appreciated. R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**X**

For John, the ten days that led up to the hearing for the permanent PFA were both long and short. The closer the date of the hearing approached, the more his nerves started getting to him. At times, he'd be so nerve wracked that he wouldn't be to hold any food down, so throwing up had been a regular occurrence. Dwayne was worried about him, but there wasn't much that could be down to quell John's nerves. Instead, they got everything that they'd need for the hearing ready and organized. John's parents would be sitting with Phoebe in the pews behind them while the hearing was taking place. He wasn't sure if the judge would talk to his daughter or not, but he wanted her there just in case.

Surprisingly enough, Randy hadn't contacted him at all. It was kind of a shock, one that made John a little apprehensive. After all, Randy was the type who would plot and scheme and come up with some way out of a situation that was against him. John wouldn't be surprised if Randy somehow managed to worm his way out of this, but, as the coordinator had told both himself and Dwayne, if Randy didn't show up for the hearing, then the judge would give John the permanent order. He was kind of hoping that Randy wouldn't show up, but that was wishful thinking on his part.

He had told Hunter about the letter and the date of his hearing. His boss understood and gave him the day off, which John was more than thankful for. Hunter had always been understanding and he knew how much it meant to John and his family for this hearing to go well. Mike, of course, gave him constant support as the days ticked away and he wished John the best of the luck the day before the hearing was scheduled. Dave gave Dwayne some tips on what to bring and what to say, so his fiancé felt as though they were more than ready for this hearing. John, however, wasn't so confident. Actually, he just wanted to get this hearing over and done with. Not knowing what was going to happen made him sick to his stomach and his nerves weren't helping him at all.

When the day of the hearing finally arrived, John had woken up beyond tired and more than sick. He didn't get much sleep the night before and his nerves were raging so bad within him that he threw up twice before he could even get dressed for the hearing. After he was okay and clean, he picked out a suit and quickly dressed. Going downstairs, he made some coffee and gathered up the papers and documents they needed for the hearing. Dwayne came down about twenty minutes later and entered the kitchen just as John was nursing his cup of coffee, trying to sip at it so as not to upset his stomach even more.

"Ready for the hearing?" Dwayne rubbed his back and kissed his temple before he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"All things considered, I'm ready to get it over with. God, I'm so damn worried about what'll happen…" His fiancé studied him for a moment before responding.

"You're worried that Randy will get off scott free, aren't you?" John nodded and Dwayne pulled him into a one arm hug.

"He won't. I know he won't. The judge has already granted you the temporary order, so that means you're a shoe in for the permanent one."

"I hope so." Dwayne kissed him before he put down his cup.

"Try to calm yourself and relax. You're making a bigger deal than you need to be. I'll go and get Phoebe up and ready. Just try to calm yourself down." John laughed softly and sat down at the kitchen table as Dwayne left and went upstairs.

The older man was right: he needed to calm down. This was a hearing for a permanent protect from abuse order. Surely, if the judge was going to rule against them, this hearing wouldn't even be taking place. He was worried because he would be seeing Randy for the first time since the incident and he wasn't sure how his ex was going to react. Knowing Randy, he'd appear calm but would actually be more than pissed off and would probably try to make John out to be some sort of insane whore. Hopefully, if that were to happen, the judge would see through the bullshit and take into account the fact that Randy was unstable and violent at the best of times. Sipping his coffee, John took deep breaths, trying to calm himself and his nerves. His method seemed to be working because when Dwayne returned to the kitchen with Phoebe in tow, he wasn't as tightly wound as he had been.

After eating breakfast, they left the house and drove to the courthouse. John's parents were to meet them there and, sure enough, they were standing outside of the courthouse when they arrived. Knowing that they were going to be there calmed him down a little bit more and he found that he wasn't shaking and stuttering all that much. His mom and dad hugged him before they took hold of Phoebe. Once they were ready, the five of them entered the courthouse and made their way to the designated courtroom. Having his family with him made him feel a lot better and John felt his confidence rise a little bit. That is, until he saw Randy standing outside of the courtroom.

"Hello, John. It's been a while, hasn't it? I must admit that I didn't think I'd be seeing you again under such strenuous circumstances. But then again, you are the one who started this bullshit, aren't you?" One look at Randy, who appeared calm and collected even though his eyes told a completely different story, made John's confidence disappear. Looking down, he didn't reply; instead, he ignored his ex and waited patiently to be called into the courtroom. Dwayne pulled him into a hug and kissed his temple.

"Don't worry about him, John. He can't do anything. We're here to get you a permanent order and that's exactly what we're going to do." A few minutes passed before they were called into the courtroom. The judge who had made the determination would also be residing over the hearing and that made John feel a little bit better. The bailiff read the document number and gave the judge a file.

"Alright, let's get down to business, shall we? We're here to instate a permanent protection from abuse order for one John Felix Anthony Cena against one Randal Keith Orton. Mr. Cena, you are to state your case and I am to decided whether or not abuse has occurred as is stated in the state statute. Do you understand what you are to do, Mr. Cena?" John nodded.

"Yes, Your Honor, I do."

"Outstanding. You may proceed."

John started to explain to the judge everything that had happened ever since he had met Randy. He explained that they were best friends when they were sophomores in high school but had become much more. Being sure to keep respectful eye contact with the judge, John told him that Randy had started becoming verbally abusive and then violent. After telling the judge that he had statements from his friends and family members and pictures of the physical abuse that had occurred, the judge asked to see them and John handed them over to the bailiff. The judged looked them over in silence before he nodded and told John to continue.

Nodding, John told the judge about becoming pregnant with Phoebe and that when he told Randy, he had almost been killed. Randy, he told the judge, didn't want to have a child at the time and he that he didn't want to be with a 'freak' like John. John explained to the judge that he had broken up with Randy and was in school at the time and starting a new life, although Randy remained in the community to torment John. He told the judge that Randy apologized for everything he had done and they remained close.

"But he returned to the way he had been after Phoebe was born."

"What was he doing, Mr. Cena?"

"He started to…become verbally abusive and violent, like he had been before. It was like nothing had changed."

John continued to tell the judge everything that had happened between him and Randy, providing pictures and statements, text messages and recorded voice mail that showed just how violent Randy was. He ended by telling the judge about what Randy had done on that Friday when John went to drop Phoebe off. While had explained what Randy had done to him and that he had caused John to miscarry his and Dwayne's unborn child, Randy remained poised and never took his eyes off of John. Although he could feel that cold, icy glare bore into his very being, John refused to waver. When he had finished explaining his case, the judge remained silent and looked over the files and documents he had been given. A good five minutes passed before he looked up and stared down at Randy, who only turned his attention to the judge when he started speaking.

"What do you have to say to explain yourself, Mr. Orton? I must say that the evidence against you is outstanding." Randy shrugged and John couldn't help but notice how tense the tattooed man's body really was.

"I have nothing much to say, Your Honor. It seems to me that you've already made your decision. After all, you did determine that John should have a temporary order, so there's not much I can say that will get me out of this mess, is there?" The judge stared at him for a moment before looking back down. His eyes skimmed over whatever document he was reading before he took off his glasses and addressed John and Randy.

"Considering the evidence you have presented to me today and the lack of a rebuttal on Orton's side, I am going to grant you a permanent protection from abuse order." Behind him, John's mom cried out in relief. Looking over his shoulder at them, a wide smile on his face, John saw the relief, joy, and happiness that were clearly written on his loved one's face. He turned back to face the judge when he started to speaking again.

"This order will last for eighteen months and you will receive the official documentation in the mail within the next three to five business days. However, Mr. Orton, just because Mr. Cena doesn't have the actual documentation as of yet, that doesn't mean that you can do anything to him and remain untouched. If you threaten or harm him, you will be arrested, put in jail, and will be seeing me or a colleague of mine not too long after. Understand?"

"I do, Your Honor."

"Good. As I have previously stated, I have ruled in favor of the plaintiff, John Cena, and the official documentation for the permanent protection from abuse order will arrive via mail within the next three to five business days. The court is adjourned until further notice. Have yourselves a nice day."

John cried out in joy and rushed to hug Dwayne. The older man held onto him tight and kissed his temple, laughing and grinning. Letting go of his fiancé, he hugged his mom and dad before he bent down and picked Phoebe up, holding her close to him. She giggled and hugged him as tight as her little arms could. He made his way back to the podium to gather up his papers and documents. With Phoebe in his arms, it was a little hard to do, but he finally managed to collect everything just as Randy spoke.

"Congratulations, John. You must be…relieved. Our custody arrangement is still okay though, I trust?" John looked up at him and his smile faded. He nodded tightly and shift Phoebe in his arms.

"Yeah, it's fine. I'm sorry it had to come to this, Randy."

"No, you're not." Randy walked away and John had a feeling that he left behind him an unspoken _but you will be_ and that worried him. John walked back over to his family and they left the courtroom, talking about where to go to celebrate their victory.

A few weeks pass. A month and John was feeling lighter, happier, than he had been in a long time. Although he still had to drop Phoebe off every other weekend or so, Ted was always the one to come and get her. Ted wasn't a bad guy; he was just overly loyal to a bad guy. But even so, nothing could dampen John's good mood. A few days after the court hearing, he had gone to the doctors because he was still throwing up, and he received a pleasant surprise. Once again, John was pregnant and he was so shocked and yet so happy when he found out. It was easier to tell Dwayne this time around than it had been the first time and he, too, was excited and happy.

That being said, Dwayne refused to let John enter Ted and Randy's apartment and he almost always accompanied him whenever he went to drop Phoebe off. He hadn't told Randy about his pregnancy and he wasn't going to. Not this time around. And since Ted usually came and got Phoebe whenever John and Dwayne arrived at the apartment building, John rarely ever saw his ex. While it was strange, it was also incredibly nice. John didn't have to worry about Randy and his violent mood swings or anything like that. Everything seemed to be going well and the future looked so bright and chipper.

Currently, John was parked in a space at Randy's apartment building, just sitting there, debating on whether he should go home or not. Time had passed and he was five months pregnant and showing, but he wasn't worried about the baby growing inside of him. He was worried about his little girl who was with Randy right now. It was Sunday and he had arrived to pick his daughter up. But Ted wasn't there and Dwayne was visiting his parents, so John had to come by himself. Being at the building alone made him hesitate, but he had to get Phoebe. She needed to come home and John knew that she wanted to come home.

Just as he turned to unbuckle his seat belt, someone knocked on the window of his car. John jumped, hitting his head, and swore before he turned to see who it was. It was Randy. Well, at least he had come down to meet him, although John didn't see Phoebe anywhere. She was probably still inside of the apartment, which meant that John would have to go and get her. He observed Randy's facial expression, search for any traces of anger or malice, and he found none. Cursing himself for being so damn jumpy, John opened his door.

"Hey, Randy. Sorry for taking so long. I hope you don't mind that I'm a little early." Randy shrugged.

"It's okay." John looked down to grab his keys and was taking them out of the ignition when he felt something press against his stomach. Looking down, he saw that it was a rifle, Randy's favorite to be precise. Blinking, he slowly looked up at his ex, not knowing what the hell was going to happen.

"Randy?"

Before anything else was said, a shot was fired and the conversation ceased.


	11. XI

A/N: A lot of you were pretty shocked at what happened in the last chapter. Well, I did say that this was based on a true story. Yes, this actually happened and, no, I won't give you names. Sorry. Anyway, I do believe that this just may be the final chapter of this story. I hope that you all have enjoyed it. Thank you all so much for your support and feed back; it's all greatly appreciated. R&R. Enjoy!

**In Loving Memory**

**XI**

Dwayne didn't know what to think or what to say. It wasn't like John to just up and leave or go off somewhere. He rarely ever missed work due to illness or anything and he never went anywhere without telling someone. Yet it had been a day since he was last seen. The last time Dwayne had seen his younger fiancé had been the day before, Sunday, before he left to visit his parents and John had told him that he'd see him later. If John wasn't going to be home or anything like that, why would he say such a thing?

Not only that but Ted had dropped Phoebe off at John's parent's house yesterday and Dwayne had no idea why. John's parents didn't understand it either. Phoebe, of course, had been upset. She missed John and she was almost constantly crying or throwing a fit. Not that Dwayne blamed her; if he could have, he would've been acting the same way. But he couldn't lose his cool now; Phoebe needed him and John needed him, even though he had no idea where John was or what happened to him.

His cell phone rang and he got up from his seat at the kitchen table. Picking it up, he saw that it was John's mom and he answered it. John's parents had been so worried and confused, his mother especially, and they had no idea what to do. Unless twenty four hours had passed, the police couldn't do anything without some sort of lead or something.

"Hello?"

"Dwayne! Oh, Dwayne…I…I…" John's mom was crying, clearly upset by something, and it worried him. She had been upset, but she had been staying strong. Until now, that is.

"What's wrong? Did something happen? Are you okay? Did John call you or something? Tell me." He heard her sniff and take gasping breaths before she answered him.

"I just…I just got a text message from Randy." Dwayne's dark eyes narrowed. He had a feeling that Randy was somehow involved in John's disappearance, but he couldn't prove it. And he knew that Randy wouldn't let him in the apartment if he went over, so he didn't even bother.

"What did it say?" She sniffed again.

"It said, 'Where's John?' Dwayne, I think he's done something. I think he'd done something to hurt my baby, I just don't know what. And I have no idea what to do." She was sobbing and Dwayne just wanted to give her a hug. But now wasn't the time. Now, something had to be done.

"It's okay. It'll be okay. Here's what I want you to do: call the police. Tell them about the text message, about Randy's violent tendencies, and about the PFA John has out on him. Give them the address to Randy's apartment and tell them to go check things out. I'll be at the apartment building, waiting for them." Dwayne heard her trying to collect herself and she spoke after a few moments.

"Did you want Tony and I to come? We could watch over Phoebe while you and the police see what's going on."

"That's an excellent idea. I'll see the two of you there."

"Thank you, Dwayne. Bye."

"Bye."

Ending the call, Dwayne grabbed his jacket and put it on. Phoebe was in the living room, watching cartoons, and she looked up when he came in.

"Come on, baby girl. We need to go over to your Daddy Randy's place to see if he can help find Daddy John, okay?"

She nodded, hope shining brightly in her eyes, eyes that reminded the older man of John's own blue orbs. Picking her up, he grabbed his car keys and left the house, making sure the door was locked behind him. After getting Phoebe situated in her car seat, Dwayne got in the car and drove away from the house, the home he had shared with John, his John. Phoebe was quiet as they drove to the apartment building and Dwayne saw that she was looking out of the window, watching the scenery pass by.

In no time, they had arrived at the apartment building and Dwayne pulled into a parking space and they waited. Dwayne had no idea how long the call John's made had made lasted or if it was still going on, but he would be patient. For John, he would be patient. His dark eyes watched the apartment building. There was a gentle breeze blowing, but other than that, the day was beautiful. Gorgeous, even. Nothing seemed out of place and nothing was going all. All was peaceful and quiet.

"Daddy Dwayne, wha's going on?" He looked back at Phoebe through the rear view mirror and gave her a smile.

"We're waiting for the cops, Phoebs. Your Daddy Randy doesn't like me very much, but he'll help us out if the cops are with us, okay?"

"'Kay." She looked of her window, her feet tapping together.

"Do you think Daddy John is okay?" Dwayne looked at her and he gave her a soft, sad smile.

"I don't know, Phoebe, but I'm sure he is wherever he is. He loves you and misses you too much to be anything but okay." Phoebe smiled at him and she returned to gaze to the outside world. Dwayne sighed softly. He hoped that John was okay…

A police car pulled into the parking lot, followed by John's parents' car. John's parents pulled in on the right side of him while the police vehicle parked closer to the entrance of the building. Dwayne unbuckled his seat belt and got out to greet John's parents. He gave John's mom a tight hug before he hugged John's dad. Both of them looked worried and afraid. This was it. It was now or never. The police officer approached them.

"Are you Mr. Johnson?" he asked Dwayne, offering his hand to shake it. Dwayne shook his hand and nodded.

"Yes, I am." The officer nodded and he looked over his shoulder at the apartment building.

"I'm Officer Jackson. From what dispatch told me, your fiancé, John Cena, has gone missing and there's a possible lead as to what may have happened to him?"

"Oh, yes! I have the text message right…here…" John's mom rummaged through her purse for her cell phone. When she found it, she brought up the text message and handed her cell to Officer Jackson.

"Randy never texts me and I found it incredibly odd and alarming for him to do so when John's been missing. Could you see if he knows anything or is somehow involved?" Officer Jackson handed her back her cell phone and she put it away.

"I can interview him and, if need be, call for back up. John has a PFA on Randy, right? If Randy's done anything to harm John, he will be arrested. Mr. Johnson, Mr. Cena, I want the two of you to accompany me to Randy's apartment so that we can see what's up. Since I don't have a partner, if anything should occur, the two of you will be my witnesses." Both of them nodded and John's mom took Phoebe out of the car and held her, talking softly to her.

"Alright, let's go in and see what's going on." The three of them entered the apartment building and proceeded up the stairs. When they reached Randy's apartment, the officer knocked on the door a couple of times before announcing his presence.

"Randy Orton? This is Officer Jackson. I'm here to ask you a few questions in relation to the disappearance of John Cena. Would you open the door please so that we can get this over and done with?" Silence followed. And then, the door opened. Randy stood before them, look calm and collected and Dwayne just wanted to punch him in the face. How dare he look so calm when John was in trouble, or worse?

"Hello, Officer Jackson, Tony…Dwayne. Why don't you come on in." They entered the apartment and Randy closed the door.

"John's missing, you say?" Officer Jackson nodded and turned to face the tattooed man.

"Yes, he is. Carol, John's mother, called our station because you sent her a text message that she thought was out of the ordinary and asked us to come over. Would you mind if I looked around before I start the interview?" Randy looked away from him and shifted slightly before he nodded.

"Sure, no problem. Go ahead. The sooner we get this interview over with, the better. I have work later tonight." Officer Jackson nodded and started back the hallway.

"Don't you live with Theodore DiBiase?"

"Yes, but he's out of town, visiting his dad. His dad's sick so…"

Officer Jackson nodded and he looked into a room on the right. Nothing. He continued down the hallway and looked into the room that Phoebe slept in. Finally, he came to the end of the hall, where the two master bedrooms where, and he peered into the one of the left. Whatever he saw made him stand up straight and grabbed his phone.

"Officer Jackson to dispatch. I need backup and the medical examiner at the apartment of Randy Orton ASAP. There's a possible murder victim lying on the bed."

Upon hearing those words, all noise fell silent and Dwayne's head snapped up. His dark eyes were wide, filled with doubt and denial. Ignoring the warnings of Officer Jackson, Dwayne made his way down the hall and opened the door to Randy's room so that he could fully see into the room. There, lying on Randy's bed with a gunshot wound to his stomach, was John. He wasn't moving and the blood that had stained his clothing and the bed looked old and dry. A cry he couldn't hold back escaped him and he tried to make his way over to his fallen fiancé, but he was held back by John's dad.

Everything seemed to happen so face, yet, at the same time, everything appeared to be in slow motion. Dwayne fell to his knees, tears falling from his dark eyes as he continued to stare at John's dead body. Eventually, the backup that Officer Jackson had called in for arrived. Randy was arrested and led away from the apartment. The medical examiner was there and, with the help of his assistance, they placed John's body carefully in a black body bag before they zipped it up, placed it on a gurney, and pulled it out of the bedroom. John's dad had to force Dwayne to stand and move out of the way.

Dwayne didn't want to leave John, but he knew that his beloved would never again open his eyes. John would never again speak to him, hug him, kiss him, or love him. His John was forever gone, all because of one deranged man who couldn't stand seeing John happy. It was hard to follow the medical examiner and the gurney down the stairs and out of the building. As soon as John's mom and Phoebe saw it, they started crying. Hearing Phoebe's heart wrenching screams and cries only caused Dwayne to cry harder. He made his way over to them and took Phoebe from her grandmother. Holding onto her tightly, making sure that she didn't fall as she had been reaching out for her daddy since she had seen the gurney, he kissed her and tried his best to sooth her.

It was a double blow because, not only had John been killed, but so had their baby. And Randy had shot John in the stomach! The stomach! He was purposefully trying to kill the baby and John. Feeling anger and rage well up within him allowed Dwayne to calm himself down slightly and he was better able to sooth and hold Phoebe. But he didn't tell her to stop crying. No, she needed to get this out; it would be more beneficial to her if she did.

They watched as the police vehicles and the medical examiner pulled out of the apartment parking lot. Finally, the sound returned to Dwayne, and all he could hear were the cries and sobs of his loved ones.

…

"Madam Forewoman, in the case of the murder of John Cena and his unborn child against Randy Orton, how do you find?"

"We find the defendant guilty, Your Honor."

Dwayne closed his eyes and released a breath of relief. At long last, Randy was going to prison for the rest of his life, a fair trade considering the three lives he took. Both of his and John's unborn children, and John himself…they have finally seen justice and Dwayne was satisfied. Not happy, but satisfied.

How could he be completely happy? Yes, the police did everything they could. And, yes, John did have that protection from abuse order. But what good did that order do when it required that some kind of unwanted physical contact had been made? Why hadn't anyone checked to make sure that Randy got rid of his guns, guns that he wasn't supposed to have due to the order? Who made sure that Randy was taking his medication and getting the help he needed? Who checked in on him to make sure that he wasn't a threat? Dwayne knew the answers to all of these questions: No one had checked and no one had made sure.

It angered him and sickened him to no end. Had those simple things been checked and done, John and his unborn child might still be here. But they weren't. They were gone forever and nothing, no amount of justice or money or anything of the sort, was going to bring them back to him.

Standing up, Dwayne watched as Randy was led away from the courtroom to be transported to the nearest prison. Whatever happened to Randy while he was in prison, he deserved; of that, Dwayne was sure. Dave patted him on the back, getting his attention. Turning to his friend and Mike, he gave them a tight nod and a fake smile, both of which were noticed. Before they could say anything, Phoebe tugged on Dwayne's shirt and he bent down to pick her up.

"Ready to go home, baby girl?" She nodded and rested her head against his chest. He kissed her hair and turned back to Dave and Mike.

"Are you glad that Randy got what he deserved?" Dwayne shrugged.

"More should have been done. He shouldn't have had those guns, but he did. He should have been watched over, but he wasn't. It's bullshit and not right. But, it is what it is and staying angry and upset won't bring John back." Dave nodded and Mike hugged him before he kissed Phoebe's cheek.

"You stay strong, Phoebs, okay? Your Daddy John is watching down on you with your brothers or sister from Heaven, okay?"

"'Kay." Mike smiled.

"You'll see him again one day." John's parents came up to them and hugged them all.

"Thank goodness Randy's finally behind bars and is paying for what he's done." John's mom wiped the tears that were falling from her eyes. John's dad pulled her into a one armed hugged and kissed her forehead.

"John's not gone. He's still with us, even if we can't see him. I know he's just as happy about today as we are. Now, come on. Let's go back to our house and spend a little time together. Being together will only help us heal and become stronger."

Nodding, Dwayne allowed Dave, Mike, and John's parents to walk ahead of him. Dwayne, with Phoebe in his arms, started to followed them, but something in the back of his mind told him to look over his shoulder at the witness stand. Usually, he wasn't one who indulged in such impulsive notions, but he did and what he saw amazed him. Standing there, looking as beautiful and as healthy as ever, was John. A slow smiled spread across his face and he nodded at Dwayne as he whispered 'I love you'. With a smile of his own, he nodded back and returned the endearment with as much love as he could muster.

John's spirit faded from sight and Dwayne was left with an almost empty courtroom. Smiling softly, knowing that John was okay and happy, Dwayne turned back around and walked out of the courtroom.

**The End**

A/N: As I have stated numerous times, this story was based off of a true story. Someone was actually shot in the stomach while five months pregnant and murdered by their ex boyfriend. It's a very sad story, but it also brings about a lot of anger, especially from the relatives who had to go through the ordeal. PFAs are a good thing to have, but, really, all they are seen as if a piece of paper. No one checks on offenders to see if they have guns or weapons or anything else that violates the order. More should be done, but, unfortunately, I doubt that anything will change any time soon. Thank you all so much for reading this story. I hope you enjoyed it and got something out of it.


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